Recipes
Side dishes · Korean home cooking

Stir-fried fishcake (Eomuk bokkeum)

Thin cooked fishcake strips with onion and carrot in a mild soy glaze. Use fishcake that is already fully cooked, and check its package heating instructions.

15 min4 servings6 steps
Stir-fried fishcake (Eomuk bokkeum)

AI-generated cooking illustrations. Follow the written quantities and instructions.

01 / Before you start

Ingredients

4 servings

Get your ingredients ready
Get your ingredients ready

Everyday kitchen measurements

For 4 servings. Use a small 180 ml paper cup, a level eating spoon (about 15 ml) and a small teaspoon (about 5 ml).

How to fill the cup and spoons

Use the same cup and spoons throughout. Their sizes vary, so these amounts are approximate. Spoon flour in loosely and level the top without pressing. Measure vegetables after chopping, without packing them down. The amounts in g/ml are the original reference quantities. For part of a pack, use the specified pack weight and divide the contents evenly.

King Arthur Baking

Essential, optional and substitute ingredients

Keep essential ingredients. For a replacement, use its listed amount and cooking changes instead of that ingredient’s original amount. Skip optional ingredients and their preparation if omitted. Photos show the original recipe.

  • Substitute available

    If Fully cooked Korean fishcake sheets is unavailable

    Use instead
    Japanese fully cooked fried fishcake (satsuma-age)
    Substitute quantity
    1 of a 200 g packReference quantity: 200 g

    Cut into 1 by 4 cm strips and use the same stir-fry order. Follow its package heating instructions if they require longer. Saltiness and texture differ; choose a plain version rather than sweet flavored or stuffed fishcake. It still contains fish.

  • Optional

    May be omitted. Skip slicing and the onion-only frying time, and add the main ingredient to the heated oil directly. Keep the rest of the recipe amounts unchanged; the flavor will be less sweet.

  • Optional

    May be omitted. Skip chopping and adding it. Egg roll or fishcake cooking continues as written, with less sweetness and fewer orange flecks.

  • Substitute available

    If Neutral cooking oil is unavailable

    Use instead
    Canola, sunflower or rice-bran oil
    Substitute quantity
    1 level eating spoonReference quantity: 15 ml

    Choose one unflavored oil and use the replacement amount shown. Keep the same heat and cooking steps. These replace the frying oil, not extra oil added on top.

  • Essential

    Use the listed water for this stage. Blanching water is drained; braising water stays in the sauce. Add only small spoonfuls of hot water if a pan dries before the food is cooked.

  • Substitute available

    If Soy sauce is unavailable

    Use instead
    Regular light soy sauce or tamari
    Substitute quantity
    1 level eating spoonReference quantity: 15 ml

    Use the replacement amount shown, not extra salt. Saltiness varies, so taste only after cooking. Tamari still contains soy; check the label for wheat. Dark sweet soy sauce is not an equal replacement.

  • Optional

    May be omitted. Leave it out of the sauce mixture. The result is less sweet and the glaze lighter; do not increase soy sauce to replace it.

  • Optional

    May be omitted. Skip its preparation and addition; cooking time is unchanged. The garlic aroma will be lighter. Omitting raw garlic in the seasoned vegetables gives a gentler flavor for children.

  • Optional

    May be omitted. Skip chopping and adding it; the main ingredient and cooking time stay the same. It supplies fresh onion aroma and green flecks.

  • Optional

    May be omitted. Skip the final sprinkle or mixing. It supplies a nutty finish but is not needed for the food to cook. Sesame is an allergen.

Tap each ingredient as you prepare it. Check product labels for egg, soy, sesame, wheat, fish or shellfish where relevant.

02 / You’re ready to cook

Step-by-step cooking

  1. Step 1

    Step 1: Use one 200 g pack of fully cooked fishcake sheets; if frozen, thaw as directed on the packet. Cut into strips about 1 by 4 cm. Slice half an onion thinly, cut quarter carrot into thin matchsticks and chop the optional scallion.

    Use one 200 g pack of fully cooked fishcake sheets; if frozen, thaw as directed on the packet. Cut into strips about 1 by 4 cm. Slice half an onion thinly, cut quarter carrot into thin matchsticks and chop the optional scallion.

  2. Step 2

    Step 2: Mix 3 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, optional 1 teaspoon sugar and ½ teaspoon minced garlic in a small bowl. Set it by the stove. No extra salt or chili is needed for this mild version.

    Mix 3 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, optional 1 teaspoon sugar and ½ teaspoon minced garlic in a small bowl. Set it by the stove. No extra salt or chili is needed for this mild version.

  3. Step 3

    Step 3: Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add onion and carrot and stir for 2–3 minutes until the onion starts softening. Thin carrot pieces cook faster than thick chunks.

    Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add onion and carrot and stir for 2–3 minutes until the onion starts softening. Thin carrot pieces cook faster than thick chunks.

  4. Step 4

    Step 4: Add the fishcake strips and gently stir-fry for about 2 minutes, keeping the strips separate. Lower the heat if the edges brown too quickly. This step warms them before the wet sauce is added.

    Add the fishcake strips and gently stir-fry for about 2 minutes, keeping the strips separate. Lower the heat if the edges brown too quickly. This step warms them before the wet sauce is added.

  5. Step 5

    Step 5: Add the mixed sauce. Stir gently over medium-low heat for 3–4 minutes until the fishcake is hot throughout and the sauce lightly coats the strips. Follow any longer heating requirement on the packet; add 1 tablespoon water if the pan dries early.

    Add the mixed sauce. Stir gently over medium-low heat for 3–4 minutes until the fishcake is hot throughout and the sauce lightly coats the strips. Follow any longer heating requirement on the packet; add 1 tablespoon water if the pan dries early.

  6. Step 6

    Step 6: Add optional scallion and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, stir for 30–60 seconds and remove from the heat. Divide into four side portions. For children cut long strips smaller, let them cool and keep the sauce mild.

    Add optional scallion and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds, stir for 30–60 seconds and remove from the heat. Divide into four side portions. For children cut long strips smaller, let them cool and keep the sauce mild.

03 / Enjoy your meal

Finished dish

Finished dish: Stir-fried fishcake (Eomuk bokkeum)
Stir-fried fishcake (Eomuk bokkeum)
Helpful tips

Use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days or the shorter packet limit. Contains fish; fishcakes can also contain wheat, soy or egg, so check their label. This is not a method for raw fish paste. Thawing time is extra. Use a small paper cup of 180 ml, a level ordinary eating spoon of about 15 ml and a small teaspoon of about 5 ml. Spoon and vegetable sizes vary; package weights are useful references. A quarter carrot or half onion is approximate. Photos show the original recipe including optional ingredients; replacements can change its appearance. These are small rice-side portions, not complete meals. Use clean serving utensils and keep the remaining batch separate. Put leftovers in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours, or within 1 hour above 32°C, at 4°C or colder. If serving hot, reheat only the portion needed thoroughly to 74°C. Do not leave a lunchbox unrefrigerated all day.