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.

The Fish Cakes I Actually Use for Eomuk Bokkeum

Korean fish cake, called eomuk (어묵) or sometimes odeng (오뎅), is made from ground white fish blended with starch and seasonings, then shaped and cooked. You’ll usually find them sold in thin sheets or skewered forms at Korean markets.

For eomuk bokkeum, I always reach for the thin, flexible sheets rather than thick or ball-shaped ones. They soak up the soy sauce better and stay tender without getting heavy.

If you’re shopping at an Asian market, look for:

• flat sheets labeled Korean fish cake
• Busan-style fish cakes for better texture
• frozen packs, which are what most Korean home cooks use

Once you have them on hand, they’re incredibly versatile. I use the same fish cakes in my Korean fish cake soup (The same thin fish cakes are also what I use in my cozy Korean fish cake soup).

If you already keep fish cakes in the freezer, they work beautifully in tteokbokki (korean spicy rice cake) and seaweed rice rolls like kimbap, too.

Key Ingredients for Eomuk Bokkeum

• Fish cakes: I use thin, rectangular sheets and slice them into bite-size pieces. Thinner fish cakes absorb the sauce better and stay tender. If you only have thicker or ball-shaped ones, slice them thin so they don’t feel heavy.
• Aromatics: Onion and Asian leek are my go-to combination. They add a mild sweetness and depth without overpowering the fish cake. Green onion works well as a substitute if Asian leek isn’t available.
• Sauce: The sauce is a quick mix of soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, and a splash of sweet rice wine. It creates a light glaze that coats the fish cake without turning it overly saucy or salty.

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, 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.

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