Korean Fish Cake Side Dish (Eomuk Bokkeum)

Eomuk bokkeum, a popular Korean fish cake side dish, is quick and easy to make with soy sauce, onions, and other basic Asian pantry ingredients.

If you love Korean food, you probably know about the amazing variety of side dishes, called banchan. One of my favorites is eomuk bokkeum, a stir-fried fish cake side dish.

This dish is a staple in Korean households and many Korean restaurants also serve it frequently. When I was a child, it was known as odeng bokkeum, and it has always been one of my favorite banchan. I still love it just as much today.

Eomuk bokkeum is made by quickly stir-frying thin slices of fish cake with everyday vegetables in a savory fish cake sauce. The result is a delicious dish with a soft and chewy texture that pairs perfectly with rice.

You’ll love this recipe because it’s so easy and quick to make with basic pantry ingredients. If you can find Korean fish cake, I urge you to give this a try! It’s so tasty, it might just make you forget about all the other banchan on the table.

Korean Fish Cake

Known as “eomuk” (어묵) or “odeng” (오뎅), this popular street food is made from ground white fish mixed with flour, vegetables, and seasonings. The mixture is shaped, often into rectangular or cylindrical forms, then steamed or fried. The southern coastal city of Busan is particularly famous for its fresh, handmade versions. Most people buy them frozen from local markets.

Fish cake is the main ingredient in this eomuk bokkeum recipe, but it’s also used in a variety of dishes:

• Tteokbokki: A spicy rice cake dish that often includes pieces of fish cake.
• Odeng guk: A warm fish cake soup that is especially popular in colder months.
• Kimbap: This popular Korean seaweed rice roll includes seasoned fish cake strips.
• Kimchi jjigae: Adding fish cake slices deepens the flavor of this spicy kimchi stew. My cookbook, Korean Cooking Favorites, has a recipe with it, so check it out.

Key Ingredients for Eomuk Bokkeum

• Fish Cakes: These come in various types and shapes, all of which work well for this eomuk bokkeum recipe. If you have thicker fish cakes, slice them thin to absorb the sauce better.
  • Thin rectangular fish cakes are most commonly used for this dish, and that’s what I used in this recipe. You can find them in the frozen section of most Asian grocery stores.
• Vegetables: I like to use a combination of onion and Asian leek. They add a savory touch to fish cake stir-fry. If Asian leek is not available, substitute with green onion.
• Sauce: This recipe uses basic Asian staple condiments such as soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and sweet rice wine. These ingredients create a balance of salty and savory flavors with a slight hint of sweetness.

How to make fish cake side dish (Eomuk Bokkeum)

In a small mixing bowl, combine all these sauce ingredients except the sesame seeds and mix well. Slice fish cakes into bite sized pieces.

Saute onions and garlic in hot oil until soft. Add sliced fish cakes and continue to stir-fry, about 2 minutes. Drizzle water and cook continuously.

Let the water evaporate, then push the fish cakes to one side of the skillet. Pour the sauce into the empty side and let it boil. Mix the fish cakes with the sauce until it thickens. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds.

Helpful Tips

1. Adding a splash of water during the stir-frying of fish cake softens it and helps maintain the same texture even after storing it in the fridge. Often, stir-fried fish cake side dishes can harden once chilled, so this trick will prevent that.
2. Corn syrup is an optional ingredient. It adds a sheen to the dish, making it look more appetizing.
3. If you want to make this side dish more hearty and nutritious, add sliced vegetables like bell pepper or carrot. You can stir-fry them with the onions in the cooking step.
4. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Enjoy it cold, at room temperature, or warm it in the microwave for a few seconds.