Homemade Eomuk Skewers (Fish Cake Skewers)
Homemade Eomuk Skewers (Fish Cake Skewers)
Recreate the Popular Street Food Eomuk Skewers at Home!
Craving those warm, comforting eomuk skewers you often find on the streets? Now you can easily make them at home! This recipe is simple, quick, and perfect for a satisfying snack or a light meal. Enjoy the delightful chewiness of the fish cakes and the savory, warming broth right in your own kitchen.
Ingredients- 4 sheets of square eomuk (fish cake)
- 1 piece of Korean radish (mu), about 2cm thick
- 1 pack of dried anchovy and kelp for broth
- 3 dried pollack (dishpo-ri)
- 1 stalk of green onion (white part only)
- A pinch of salt
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare 4 sheets of square eomuk (fish cake) and skewers. If you don’t have skewers, you can skip them, but using skewers will give you that authentic street food feel.
Step 2
If there’s a photo accompanying this recipe, you can refer to it to see the best way to skewer the eomuk. Following the visual guide will make the process easier and more enjoyable.
Step 3
Nowadays, many commercially available eomuk contain a lot of flour, which can make thicker ones less chewy. For the best eomuk skewers, choose the thinnest eomuk you can find. This tip will help ensure a wonderfully chewy texture!
Step 4
Fold or roll each of the 4 sheets of eomuk into a convenient size and thread them onto the skewers. Preparing the skewers in advance makes it easier when you add them to the broth later.
Step 5
It’s also a good idea to prepare a dipping sauce in advance. I made mine by finely chopping green onions and mixing them with sesame seeds, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Feel free to add chili powder or minced garlic to suit your taste.
Step 6
For a clear and flavorful broth, prepare the dried anchovies and dried pollack for simmering. Placing them in a broth pack will prevent small particles from dispersing into the broth, keeping it clean and clear.
Step 7
Pour 5 cups of water (using a mug as a measure) into a pot. Add the broth pack with dried anchovies and kelp, the Korean radish (cut into 2cm pieces, then halved), and the white parts of the green onion. The radish adds a refreshing taste to the broth, and the green onion provides a subtle sweetness and aroma.
Step 8
Once the water comes to a boil, let it simmer for about 5 minutes, then remove the dried pollack. Boiling the pollack for too long can release fine scales, making the broth cloudy. Removing them at the right time is key to a clear broth.
Step 9
Now, bring the broth to a simmer over medium-high heat for about 15 minutes to deepen the flavor. To check if the radish is cooked, gently pierce it with a chopstick; it should go in easily. Season the broth with salt. I found that using only salt resulted in a cleaner taste compared to using soy sauce, but feel free to adjust with soy sauce if you prefer.
Step 10
Once the broth is seasoned to your liking, carefully add the prepared eomuk skewers to the pot. Reduce the heat to low and let them simmer for about 30 seconds. This brief simmering will warm the eomuk and enhance its chewy texture. If you prefer your eomuk not to be overcooked, you can remove them as soon as the broth returns to a gentle simmer. And for an even heartier meal, add some udon noodles to the remaining delicious broth. Enjoy every last drop!
