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    Home » Recipes

    Eomuk Bokkeum (Stir-fried Fish Cake)

    Published 06/21/2021. Updated 06/21/2021

    Jump to Recipe

    This stir-fried Korean fish cake is a simple side dish (banchan) that’s highly popular at home and restaurants. Learn how to prepare two different ways – mild and spicy.

    DSC9896 - Eomuk Bokkeum (Stir-fried Fish Cake)

    Eomuk (어묵) is processed seafood made with pureed fish. It translates to fish cake, but obviously not the fish cake known in Western cooking.

    There are various dishes made with eomuk, including Eomuk soup which is hugely popular as street foods in Korea. This eomuk bokkeum (어묵 볶음) is a staple side dish at home and also commonly served at restaurants. It’s a stir-fried dish that’s quick and easy to prepare.

    Korean fish cake

    Busan, a southern coastal city, is famous for the most delicious eomuk, so I normally buy the ones made in Busan. Outside Korea, you can find them in the frozen section of Korean markets or delivered frozen from on-line Korean shopping. 

    There are various types and shapes of fish cakes, and you can use any type or shape for this eomuk bokkeum recipe. Slice them if they are thick so the sauce can easily penetrate.

    The thin rectangle shape fish cake is most commonly used for this dish. It’s the type of eomuk we grew up with before the eomuk industry became highly sophisticated. It’s also the type commonly used in gimbap and tteokbokki.

    DSC9757 01 - Eomuk Bokkeum (Stir-fried Fish Cake)
    DSC9775 01 2 - Eomuk Bokkeum (Stir-fried Fish Cake)

    How to make eomuk bokkeum

    While it’s not absolutely necessary, quick blanching of the fish cake in boiling water removes excess surface oil and softens them. 

    For vegetables, I usually use onion and scallions along with some colorful veggies such as chili peppers, bell peppers, or carrot depending on what I have in my fridge. 

    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.

    Watch how to make it

    DSC9989 - Eomuk Bokkeum (Stir-fried Fish Cake)

    For more Korean cooking inspirations, follow  along on YouTube, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

    DSC9896 500x500 - Eomuk Bokkeum (Stir-fried Fish Cake)

    Eomuk Bokkeum (Stir-fried Fish Cake)

    4.42 from 46 votes
    Side Dish
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Print Recipe

    Ingredients

    • 8 ounces eomuk (어묵), fish cake (about 4 sheets)
    • 1/4 medium onion
    • 1 teaspoon minced garlic
    • 1/2 scallion
    • 1 red chili pepper (or 1/4 red bell pepper) (or 1/2 carrot)
    • 1 green chili pepper (or 1/4 green bell pepper)
    • oil for stir-frying

    Sauce Ingredients (see note)

    • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
    • 1 tablespoon rice wine (or mirin)
    • 1 teaspoon sugar (or two teaspoons if you like it sweeter)
    • pinch black pepper
    • 2 to 3 teaspoons gochugaru (Korean red chili pepper flakes) - only for the spicy version

    Instructions

    • Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and turn the heat off. Plunge the fish cake for 30 seconds. Drain and cool. This step removes excess oil and softens the fish cake, but you can skip it if you want.
      DSC 0746 1024x685 - Eomuk Bokkeum (Stir-fried Fish Cake)
    • Cut the fish cake into bite size pieces. Thinly slice the vegetables.
      DSC 0760 1024x685 - Eomuk Bokkeum (Stir-fried Fish Cake)
    • Heat a non-stick pan with 2 tablespoons of oil over medium high heat. Add the garlic, onion, and scallions, and cook for a minute. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the fish cake and chili peppers, and stir-fry for about 1 minute.
      DSC 0764 1024x685 - Eomuk Bokkeum (Stir-fried Fish Cake)
    • Add the sauce ingredients over the fish cake and vegetables. Stir well, and cook until the sauce is well distributed and absorbed and the fish cake and vegetables are tender, about 1 minute.
      DSC 07691 1024x685 - Eomuk Bokkeum (Stir-fried Fish Cake)

    Notes

    You can combine all the sauce ingredients in a small bowl, if you feel more comfortable than adding it directly to the pan while cooking. 
    Tried this recipe?Mention @koreanbapsang or tag #koreanbapsang!

    This recipe was originally posted in April 2015. I’ve updated it here with new photos and minor changes to the recipe. 

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    Comments

    1. Amy says

      August 11, 2023 at 2:35 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for the delicious and simple recipe! I was just wondering though, can you freeze this dish AFTER it’s made? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        August 12, 2023 at 8:29 pm

        You’re welcome! Yes you can.

        Reply
    2. Ming says

      September 19, 2022 at 6:25 am

      5 stars
      This is my favorite Korean side dish and I’m so glad I now know how to make it at home. Thank you for another easy recipe!! It’s delicious!

      Reply
    3. MommaJoy says

      January 25, 2022 at 2:13 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you so much for this recipe! It is very easy to prepare and all the ingredients, except the fish cake, are easy to buy. It is also very tasty!
      I bought the fish cake at a Korean grocery store and didn’t know how to prepare it. Mine looks like a little log, so I just cut it on the diagonal.
      I can’t wait to use more of your recipes on my Korean cooking journey!

      Reply
    4. Cath says

      November 15, 2021 at 9:08 pm

      Hi. Just wondering if leftover can be frozen?😊

      Reply
    5. Sandy says

      February 20, 2021 at 1:00 am

      5 stars
      I just made it tonight. It was very delicious. Tasted exactly the same as the one in Korean restaurants. Thank you!

      Reply
    6. Stefany says

      August 05, 2020 at 6:57 am

      I wanted to try this but can I skip the rice wine ingredients or will it make a huge difference by not using the rice wine?

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        August 05, 2020 at 5:52 pm

        Yes you can skip it Stefany! No huge difference.

        Reply
      • Aimee says

        April 12, 2022 at 1:12 pm

        5 stars
        If you have access to dry sherry, that’s a decent sub for many of the eastern alcohol seasonings. I live in an area where the nearest liquor store carrying sake is an hour away (the nearest Asian grocery is closer to 2 hours), so it was my go-to for mirin, sake and Shao Xing wine for about a year.

        Reply
    7. Dane Manio says

      June 04, 2020 at 8:06 pm

      5 stars
      I found the perfect recipe for the fish cake!! My family whos not really a fan of Korean cuisine because they think everything is spicy loves it!

      Reply
    8. Lidia Kruk says

      May 13, 2020 at 1:56 am

      Hello, great recipe. My korean husband loves it.
      It would be also fantastic if you can teach us how to make fish cake itself, as in many european places I can not find fishcake and I love it fried or in oden tang 🙂

      Thank you!
      Lidia

      Reply
    9. Jeanne Velasco says

      May 03, 2020 at 9:52 pm

      How do you make stir fried spicy fish cake

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        May 04, 2020 at 10:18 am

        The spicy version is in the recipe. Basically add gochugaru, but you can also add a little bit gochujang if you want to.

        Reply
    10. Tam says

      February 16, 2019 at 4:17 pm

      What type
      Of
      Fish is used to make the fish cake

      Reply
    11. Nancy says

      September 13, 2018 at 8:53 pm

      Hi! I was wondering if you had any insights into why my 어묵 always turns very hard when it cools off? When it’s eaten warm, it’s very pliable, but as soon as it cools off, it’s like eating 오징어 🤣.

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        September 13, 2018 at 9:03 pm

        Do you blanch it in boiling water before stir-frying it? Blanching will help. Or look for better quality eomuk. It will turn a bit hard in the fridge but shouldn’t be that tough.

        Reply
    12. Lin says

      August 20, 2018 at 2:00 pm

      5 stars
      I just wanted to say thank you for the great recipe. This has always been my favorite banchan but I’ve never tried to make it at home. Your homemade version is so much better then the stuff I get at the restaurant. I never knew it was so easy! My three year old LOVES it and asks for it often.

      Reply
    13. Klaudia says

      August 10, 2018 at 3:11 pm

      5 stars
      It’s my favourite side dish in Korean restaurants, I had no idea it’s so easy to make! My Seolleongtang is on the stove right now and in the meantime I was checking some side dishes I could make from things I already have at home. Turned out I have everything I need and just made it. It’s really delicious!
      Thank you Mrs. Hyosun! Thanks to you I’m learning how to cook for my Korean husband.

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        August 14, 2018 at 11:55 pm

        You’re welcome, Klaudia! I’m happy to hear you’re learning Korean cooking and making all those delicious dishes for your family.

        Reply
    14. dannie says

      June 21, 2018 at 3:43 am

      this is new to me I have never heard of fish cake,though a great recipe.

      Reply
    15. Leo says

      March 14, 2018 at 12:35 pm

      How long does this dish last for, if I store it in the refrigerator?

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        March 17, 2018 at 11:17 am

        should be fine up to 4 to 5 days. Enjoy!

        Reply
    16. mika_chan says

      January 23, 2018 at 1:21 pm

      Can I use mirin instead of rice wine? Or would you recommend using white wine instead? Thanks! Love your blog btw, keep it up! 🙂

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        January 23, 2018 at 11:41 pm

        Yes you can use mirin. White wine will be good as well. Thank you for the nice words!

        Reply
    17. Sharon says

      November 27, 2017 at 10:00 pm

      Always enjoyed Eomuk Bokkeum as a banchan at the local Korean Restaurant. Have made it several times at home but for some reason it never last long (because I can’t stay out of it…lol). Love your recipes because they are so authentic. I can read one of your recipes and go right to my Asian Market and found the ingredients with no problem.

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        November 27, 2017 at 11:02 pm

        Hi Sharon – I’m glad to hear you’re making it at home, and thank you so much for taking the time to write me comments. It means a lot to me.

        Reply
    18. Yawphia says

      August 23, 2017 at 7:47 am

      can I use honey instead of sugar?

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        August 30, 2017 at 11:28 pm

        yes you can. Enjoy!

        Reply
    19. Sasha says

      July 19, 2017 at 6:14 pm

      Do you blanch it frozen or thaw first?

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        July 23, 2017 at 3:26 pm

        Frozen eomuk will lower blanching water temperature too quickly. Just rinse under the warm water to quickly defrost.

        Reply
    20. Elain says

      April 11, 2017 at 1:43 pm

      This is my children’s favorite side dish! Thank you for making it so simple to make. Now they can have it anytime.

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        April 11, 2017 at 10:09 pm

        You’re welcome, Elain! Enjoy!

        Reply
    21. Aria says

      June 28, 2016 at 8:16 pm

      Wow this is my favorite banchan when I eat at Korean restaurants! I can’t wait to make this recipe. How long does this last in the fridge? I live alone, so I hope to make a big batch that I can leave in fridge and take out for every meal. Or do they go bad fast? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        June 30, 2016 at 12:26 am

        It will be fine for 4 to 5 days in the fridge. Or longer. Enjoy!

        Reply
    22. Ekj4tx says

      May 14, 2016 at 5:51 pm

      This was super easy and so delicious! The aroma of the stir fried eomuk was great on a rainy day. I made it spicy with the veggies I had on hand; carrots, celery and onion. The celery added a nice crunch. Will make this again and often. Better than restaurants and store bought banchan because it’s fresher and I’m able to control of the amount oil used. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        May 16, 2016 at 12:54 am

        Thanks for the note! Glad to hear you like it. Celery sounds great!

        Reply
    23. Theresa says

      March 08, 2016 at 8:29 pm

      Another delicious and easy recipe that impressed my 80 year old Korean mom! She wanted to know how I made it taste so good so I showed her my secret–your website! Thank you for teaching us how to cook great Korean food with your clear directions and beautiful photos!

      Reply
    24. Thanh says

      June 21, 2015 at 1:31 pm

      I tried this last night (spicy version) and it was so delicious! Just like in restaurants/H-mart. Thanks for the easy and fast recipe!

      Reply
    25. karen says

      April 16, 2015 at 1:13 pm

      Thanks! I buy a portion of these from the prepared section at H-mart every shopping trip because I do not know how to make it myself. Definitely going to try.

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        April 16, 2015 at 10:33 pm

        Definitely much cheaper to make it at home! Enjoy!

        Reply
    26. Melissa says

      April 14, 2015 at 12:58 am

      Oh I so can’t wait to try this. I love fish cakes. I recently discovered them after trying to cook some Korean dishes. The flavor brings back memories of being a little girl with my Halmoni. This stir fry looks delightful though. Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        April 14, 2015 at 8:43 pm

        You’re welcome, Melissa! I am happy to hear this dish helped bring back memories with your grandma. Hope you try to make it soon.

        Reply
    27. nath says

      April 13, 2015 at 4:05 am

      Eomuk is my favorite!! but it’s very hard to find this in france!! :/

      Reply
      • Hyosun says

        April 13, 2015 at 10:52 pm

        Sorry to hear that. Hope they become available soon.

        Reply

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    Hi! I'm Hyosun, and I am a Korean-American mom of two wonderful grown-up children. Here, you will learn how to cook Korean dishes the way we Koreans traditionally eat at home. Read More...

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