Korean Street-Style Spicy Fish Cake
Bean Sprouts

A popular Korean street food classic featuring tender fish cake skewers simmered in a rich, flavorful broth and coated in a vibrant, spicy red sauce balanced with peanut powder.

Ingredients

• 500 g flat fish cake sheets
• 30 g dried shrimp
• 2 pieces dried kelp
• 4 pieces dried mushrooms
• 1 piece white radish
• 1 piece white onion
• 2 stalks green onion
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp spicy chili powder
• 2 tbsp Korean spicy sauce paste
• 2 tbsp peanut powder
• 200 g bean sprouts
• to taste sesame seeds

Instructions

1. 1Prepare the soup stock ingredients

   

   Place dried shrimp, kelp, and dried mushrooms into a clean mesh cloth bag. This method keeps the broth clean and makes it easy to remove the ingredients later.

   Tip: Make sure the mesh bag is securely closed so the dried ingredients do not spill out during boiling.
2. 2Cut the white radish

   

   Use a sharp knife to cut thick slices of white radish on a wooden cutting board. The radish adds natural sweetness to the soup stock and helps remove any unpleasant odors.

   Tip: Cut the radish into even rounds so they release flavor uniformly into the broth.
3. 3Add fish cake to soup stock

   

   Add a whole, flat sheet of thawed fish cake directly into the pot of boiling soup stock and cook for three minutes.

   Tip: Do not overcook the fish cake, or it will become too soft and break apart when skewered.
4. 4Cut the cooked fish cake

   

   Place the cooked, softened sheet of fish cake on a cutting board and use a knife to slice it lengthwise into long, even strips.

   Tip: Ensure the fish cake is cooked to the right softness so it does not tear or crumble while cutting.
5. 5Skewer the fish cake strips

   

   Take the cut fish cake strips and thread them onto bamboo skewers in a folded, wavy accordion pattern.

   Tip: Fold the strips evenly so each skewer holds a stable and uniform portion.
6. 6Prepare the spicy sauce base

   

   Pour clean water into a pot and prepare to add sliced white radish, white onion, and green onion or leek as the aromatic base for the spicy sauce.

   Tip: Fresh aromatics create a rich flavor foundation for the spicy Korean sauce.
7. 7Add chili powder and spicy sauce paste

   

   Add chili powder to the pot of vegetable soup to give it a vibrant red color, followed by spicy chili powder to increase the heat level and Korean spicy sauce paste for depth of flavor.

   Tip: Adjust the amount of chili powder based on your personal spice preference.
8. 8Sprinkle in peanut powder

   

   Pour a generous amount of peanut powder directly into the simmering spicy sauce mixture. This ingredient helps balance the strong spicy and savory flavors while thickening the overall consistency of the sauce.

   Tip: Stir well immediately after adding the peanut powder to prevent clumping in the hot broth.
9. 9Dip skewered fish cakes into spicy sauce

   

   Dip the prepared skewered fish cakes into the thickened, boiling spicy red sauce to absorb the rich flavors.

   Tip: Ensure the sauce is properly thickened with peanut powder before dipping for the best flavor balance.

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