Hearty Fish Cake Miso Stew (Eomuk Doenjang Jjigae)
Hearty Fish Cake Miso Stew (Eomuk Doenjang Jjigae)
Golden Recipe for Fish Cake Miso Stew Using Eomuk (Korean Fish Cake)
Don’t have many ingredients? No problem! This recipe uses frozen fish cakes from your freezer to create a deeply savory and satisfying miso stew. The chewy fish cakes, tender radish, and rich doenjang (soybean paste) combine for a comforting meal that’s perfect with a bowl of rice. It’s simple, yet incredibly hearty.
Main Stew Ingredients- Square-shaped fish cakes 4 pieces
- Flat fish cake 1 piece
- Round fish cake 1 piece
- Long fish cake 2 pieces
- Green onion 1/2 stalk (approx. 1 handspan)
- Radish 1 segment (approx. 5cm length)
Broth Ingredients for Deeper Flavor- Dried shiitake mushrooms 5 pieces
- Dried oyster mushrooms 1 handful
- Anchovies for broth 1 handful (head and guts removed)
- Rice water 400ml (or cold water)
Flavor-Enhancing Seasonings- Doenjang (soybean paste) 2 Tbsp
- Gochugaru (red pepper flakes) 1 Tbsp
- Dried shiitake mushrooms 5 pieces
- Dried oyster mushrooms 1 handful
- Anchovies for broth 1 handful (head and guts removed)
- Rice water 400ml (or cold water)
Flavor-Enhancing Seasonings- Doenjang (soybean paste) 2 Tbsp
- Gochugaru (red pepper flakes) 1 Tbsp
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, let’s make a delicious broth. Lightly toast the anchovies in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes to remove any fishy smell. Add the toasted anchovies, dried shiitake mushrooms, and dried oyster mushrooms to the rice water (or cold water) and bring to a boil over high heat. (If using fresh mushrooms, add them later with the fish cakes.)
Step 2
Once the broth comes to a rolling boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for another 5-10 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse.
Step 3
While the broth is simmering, prepare the other ingredients. Peel the radish and slice it thinly into matchsticks. (Slicing radish thinly, similar to Chef Baek Jong-won’s recipe, makes the stew broth refreshingly clean!) Cut the fish cakes into bite-sized pieces and slice the green onion diagonally.
Step 4
Remove the anchovies and mushrooms from the broth. Dissolve the doenjang (soybean paste) by either sifting it through a sieve into the pot or stirring it well in a ladle first. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Step 5
Add the thinly sliced radish to the doenjang broth and boil for about 3-5 minutes until the radish becomes slightly translucent. Boiling the radish first will make the broth even more refreshing.
Step 6
Once the radish is partially cooked, add all the prepared fish cakes and continue to simmer.
Step 7
Fish cakes vary in thickness and cooking time. If you have very thin or quick-cooking fish cakes, you can add them a bit later. Cook for another 2-3 minutes after adding all the fish cakes.
Step 8
Finally, add the gochugaru (red pepper flakes) for a touch of spice and color.
Step 9
Simmer for a little longer to let all the flavors meld together. Once the stew is bubbling happily, turn off the heat and stir in the prepared green onions to finish. Your warm and delicious fish cake miso stew is ready!
