Kkwari Gochu Eomuk Bokkeum (Stir-Fried Fish Cake with Shishito)
A side dish of chewy fish cakes stir-fried without excess moisture alongside crisp shishito peppers.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
This stir-fried side dish is made by cooking the fish cakes and shishito peppers separately before combining them, so the seasonings coat each ingredient evenly. The chewy texture of the fish cakes pairs wonderfully with the fresh aroma of the peppers, and because it has little moisture, it packs easily into lunch boxes.
- Servings
- about 3–4 servings
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Spiciness
- Mildly spicy
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Square fish cake (eomuk)4 sheets, 200 g
- Regular soy sauce (jin-ganjang)1/2 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)1 tbsp
- Shishito peppers (kkwari-gochu)150 g
Seasoning
- Soy sauce (or brewed soy sauce (yangjo-ganjang))1 tbsp (regular)
- Tuna extract sauce (chamchi-aek)1 tbsp
- Corn syrup (mulyeot)2 tbsp
- Mirin (cooking rice wine)2 tbsp
- Minced garlic1 tbsp
- Toasted sesame oil1 tbsp
- Toasted sesame seeds1 tbsp
- If you substitute bell peppers for the shishito peppers, it makes a great side dish for kids.
Steps
Prepare the ingredients
Prepare 4 sheets of square fish cake and about two handfuls of shishito peppers.
Cut the fish cake in half lengthwise, then slice it into long strips about 1 cm wide.
Cut the shishito peppers in half so they are similar in length to the fish cakes.
Stir-fry the fish cakes
Add the fish cakes to an oiled pan along with 1/2 tbsp regular soy sauce and 1 tbsp corn syrup, then stir-fry briskly until soft and chewy.
Transfer to a separate plate.
Stir-fry the shishito peppers
Drizzle cooking oil in the pan, then add the shishito peppers, 1 tbsp regular soy sauce, 1 tbsp tuna extract sauce, 2 tbsp corn syrup, 2 tbsp mirin, and 1 tbsp minced garlic...
Stir-fry, letting the sauce reduce so the seasoning absorbs into the peppers.
Add the fish cakes, toss lightly to combine, and adjust any remaining seasoning with salt...
Finish the dish
Finish by adding 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil and 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds.
Ppunwife's tips
- Stir-frying the pre-seasoned fish cakes and unseasoned peppers separately before combining them keeps the sauce from slipping off and gives each bite a well-coated, savory flavor.
- Because this is stir-fried lightly without excess liquid, it keeps a great texture and makes an excellent lunch box side dish.
FAQ
Why stir-fry the fish cakes and shishito peppers separately?
Fish cakes are already seasoned while the peppers are not; cooking them separately before tossing them together ensures the seasonings cling nicely without sliding off.
Is there a substitute for the peppers when making this for kids?
If you want to avoid heat, using bell peppers instead of shishito peppers makes it a perfect side dish for kids.
What should I use if it needs more saltiness at the end?
After combining the stir-fried fish cakes and peppers, you can simply adjust the final seasoning with salt.
