Eomuk (fish cakes) are processed seafood made with pureed fish. Eomuk bokkeum is a stir-fried side dish that’s quick and easy to prepare.

Busan is famous for the most delicious eomuk. You can use any type or shape for this eomuk bokkeum recipe. Slice the fish cakes if they are thick so the sauce can easily penetrate them. Thin rectangular eomuk is most commonly used type for this dish. It’s the type of eomuk we grew up with before the industry became highly sophisticated.

This recipe uses onion and bell peppers to accompany the fish cakes, but you can use other vegetables, such as carrots, chili peppers or scallions. 

You can make it mild or spicy with this recipe. Simply add some gochugaru (Korean red chili pepper flakes) to the sauce to make it spicy. 

Ingredients:
4 sheets eomuk
1/4 red bell pepper
1/4 green bell pepper
1/4 small onion
Oil for stir-frying

Sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine
2 teaspoons sugar, corn or rice syrup
½ teaspoon minced garlic
Pinch black pepper
2 to 3 teaspoons gochugaru (Korean red chili pepper flakes) - only for the spicy version

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Plunge the eomuk sheets for 30 seconds. Drain and cool. This step removes excess oil and makes the fish cakes tender, but you can skip it if you want.

Thinly slice the vegetables. Cut the fish cakes into bite size pieces. Combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl, and mix well until the sugar is dissolved.

Heat a nonstick pan with a tablespoon of oil over medium high heat. Add the vegetables, and cook for a minute until slightly softened. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the fish cake, and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

Drizzle the sauce over the fish cake and vegetables. Stir well, and cook until the sauce is all absorbed and the fish cakes and vegetables are tender, about 2 minutes.

For more recipes visit www.koreanbapsang.com.

By Ro Hyo-sun