Spicy and Sweet Stir-fried Fish Cakes with Garlic Scapes: A Perfect Side Dish Recipe
Spicy and Sweet Stir-fried Fish Cakes with Garlic Scapes: A Perfect Side Dish Recipe
Enjoy a Simple and Delicious Side Dish: Stir-fried Fish Cakes with Garlic Scapes!
Today, we’re making a delightful side dish using garlic scapes, a vegetable with a wonderfully pungent charm. This recipe for stir-fried fish cakes with a spicy and sweet glaze is perfect for adding a flavorful boost to your meals.
Main Ingredients- 1 pack (approx. 300g) of square fish cakes
- 100g of fresh garlic scapes
- 2 Tbsp cooking oil
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 6 Tbsp water
- 1/3 tsp sesame seeds (whole or toasted)
Spicy and Sweet Sauce- 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 Tbsp fine gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/3 tsp black pepper
- 2 Tbsp rice wine (mirin or cheongju)
- 1 Tbsp gochujang (Korean chili paste)
- 1 Tbsp fine gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1/3 tsp black pepper
- 2 Tbsp rice wine (mirin or cheongju)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the fish cakes and garlic scapes by cutting them into bite-sized pieces. For the fish cakes, you can cut them into long strips about 2-3 cm wide, or into bite-sized squares around 1.5 cm. Cut the garlic scapes to a similar length, about 3-4 cm. Cutting them to similar sizes ensures they cook evenly and provide a harmonious texture when eaten together.
Step 2
Heat 2 Tbsp of cooking oil in a pan over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp of soy sauce and 6 Tbsp of water. Once the mixture begins to simmer gently, add the prepared garlic scapes and stir-fry for about 1-2 minutes. While the fish cakes are already seasoned, the garlic scapes need a base flavor. This initial sautéing step is crucial for infusing the garlic scapes with a subtle taste, ensuring that the flavors of the garlic scapes and fish cakes meld together harmoniously in the final dish, rather than tasting distinct and separate.
Step 3
Once the garlic scapes start to soften slightly, add the prepared fish cakes to the pan. Stir-fry them together with the garlic scapes until they are well combined.
Step 4
Now, add the pre-mixed sauce ingredients (gochujang, gochugaru, sugar, minced garlic, rice wine) to the pan. Stir-fry quickly to ensure the sauce coats the fish cakes and garlic scapes evenly. Be careful not to burn the sauce, and continue to cook for another 1-2 minutes. Finally, drizzle in 1 tsp of sesame oil, a pinch of black pepper, and sprinkle with 1/3 tsp of sesame seeds to finish. Your delicious stir-fried fish cakes with garlic scapes are ready! Isn’t it easy to make such a wonderful side dish?
