Spicy Fish Cake Skewers (Eomuk-kkochi)
Spicy fish cake skewers that make a great snack for kids and adults alike. Chewy fish cakes soak up a punchy, savory broth, and you can even cook tteokbokki in the leftover broth.
Ingredients
Main
- Fish cakes (eomuk)1 pack
- Broth2 cups
- Green onionA pinch
Sauce & Seasoning
- Gochujang1 tbsp
- Gochugaru (chili flakes)1 tbsp
- Sugar1 tbsp
- Plum extract (maesil-aek)1 tbsp
- Soy sauce1 tbsp
- Minced garlicA pinch
- Cheongyang chili pepper1 piece
- SaltA pinch
Directions
- 1
Make a generous batch of broth by simmering radish, dried anchovies, scallion roots, dried shiitake, and pollock skin. Making extra lets you use it across many other dishes.
- 2
Rinse the fish cakes once in hot water to remove excess oil, then thread them onto skewers, twisting each one as you go for a wavy shape.
- 3
To 2 cups of broth, add the gochugaru, gochujang, sugar, plum extract, soy sauce, and minced garlic, then bring to a rolling boil so the seasonings blend evenly. Boil the seasoned broth first, since adding the fish cakes too early makes them swell and lose their texture.
- 4
Taste along the way: add a little more sugar if it needs sweetness, or a pinch of salt if it needs saltiness. Go easy on the soy sauce, as too much clouds the broth. Drop in one cheongyang chili cube for extra heat.
- 5
Once the seasoned broth is boiling, add the fish cake skewers and top with the sliced green onion. Keep spooning broth over the tops so the seasoning soaks in evenly.
- 6
When the broth is sharp and well-balanced, turn off the heat. It's spicy yet deeply savory, making it a perfect snack for grown-ups too.
- 7
Serve warm on a plate. It's so good that a whole pack of fish cakes disappears in no time.
- 8
Twisting each piece as you skewer it, rather than just zigzagging, gives a prettier shape and makes it easier to eat.
Tips
Adding one cheongyang chili brings out a sharp, clean heat. Boil the seasoned broth first, then add the fish cakes, to keep them pleasantly chewy.