Eomukguk Recipe (Korean Fish Cake Soup)
Eomukguk recipe — Korean fish cake soup with skewered eomuk in anchovy-kelp broth. The street cart soup you can make at home in 40 minutes.
Introduction
Eomukguk (어묵국) is the soup that follows you around Korea in winter. Street carts sell it from steaming pots — fish cake skewers bobbing in broth, a paper cup of that broth handed to you for free while you eat. It costs almost nothing and warms you straight through. Eomuk means fish cake: ground white fish like cod, pollock, or snapper mixed with starch, formed into sheets, and fried. Guk means soup. The dish is simple, but the broth does all the work. Radish, onion, and dried kelp boil first, then dried anchovies go in. Twenty minutes later you have a clean, savory stock that tastes like the sea without any fishiness. The fish cakes simmer in it just long enough to turn plump and chewy. One thing matters when you shop, and that is fish content. Korean grocery stores carry dozens of fish cake brands at different prices, and the difference is how much actual fish is inside. Check the back of the package. More fish means better flavor and a bouncier, more elastic bite. The cheap ones are mostly starch.What's in this recipe
Ingredients
Base recipe makes 6 servings
- 6skewersKorean fish cakes (eomuk), assorted shapes
- 0.5lbKorean radish or daikon, cut into 1/2-inch slices
- 20largedried anchovies, heads and innards removed
- 1cuponion, chopped
- 1piecedried kelp (dashima), about 4x4 inches
- 12cupswater
- 2tspsoy sauce
- 1tspsalt
- 2stalksgreen onion, chopped
Substitutions
No exact match? These work.
Korean fish cakes (eomuk)Japanese oden fish cakes
Closest match, same style. Check fish content on the package.
Korean radishDaikon radish
Essentially the same thing, widely available. Do not skip — it sweetens the broth.
dried anchoviesAnchovy stock powder or dashi packet
Faster but slightly less depth. Skip the prep, add with the kelp.
dried anchoviesDouble the kelp + 2-3 dried shiitake mushrooms
Vegetarian version. Lighter flavor but still good.
soy sauceSoup soy sauce (guk-ganjang)
More traditional for soups. Saltier and lighter in color — use the same amount.
hot pepper flakes (gochugaru)Red pepper flakes
Use half the amount in the dipping sauce. Spicier, no smokiness.
Equipment
- Large pot (at least 4 quarts)
- Strainer or broth bag
- Wooden skewers
- Cutting board and knife
- Small bowl for dipping sauce
How to Make It
Pour 12 cups of water into a large pot. Add the radish slices, chopped onion, and dried kelp. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil for 20 minutes.
While the broth boils, prep the anchovies. Snap off the heads and pull out the black innards — they make the broth bitter. Microwave the cleaned anchovies for 1 minute to dry them out.
After 20 minutes, add the anchovies to the pot. Leave the lid off and keep boiling.
Skewer the fish cakes. Fold flat sheets accordion-style onto wooden skewers, 2-3 sheets per skewer. If your fish cakes are the firm refrigerated type, soften them in hot water first.
Season the broth with 2 teaspoons of soy sauce and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir and taste — it should be slightly saltier than you want the final soup, since the fish cakes are mild.
Add the fish cake skewers and the radish from the broth back into the pot. Boil for 10 to 20 minutes, until the fish cakes are plump and heated through.
Make the dipping sauce (yangnyeomjang): mix 1/4 cup soy sauce, minced garlic, chopped green onion, a pinch of sugar, 1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon sesame seeds in a small bowl.
Ladle the soup into bowls with a skewer each. Sprinkle with chopped green onion. Serve hot with the dipping sauce on the side.
Expert Tips & Common Mistakes
- Always remove the anchovy heads and black innards. The innards make the broth bitter — this is the step everyone skips and regrets.
- Check the fish content on the fish cake package. Higher fish percentage means better flavor and a chewier, more elastic texture.
- Keep the lid off after adding the anchovies. It lets the fishy smell evaporate and keeps the broth clean-tasting.
- Use the radish skin and scraps too. They go into the strainer with the slices — all of it flavors the broth.
- The broth should taste slightly too salty before the fish cakes go in. The fish cakes are mild and will balance it out.
- One skewer per person is the standard serving, just like the street carts.
About this dish
What to Serve Eomukguk With
Eomukguk is street food, so the pairing logic is street food logic. Tteokbokki is the classic partner — spicy rice cakes next to mild fish cake soup, and you dip the fish cakes in the tteokbokki sauce when the yangnyeomjang runs out. Kimbap rounds it out into a full meal. That trio is the backbone of every snack bar (bunsikjip) in Korea.
At home, a bowl of rice and kimchi is enough. Some people dump the rice straight into the broth. The dipping sauce matters more than any side dish — fish cakes on their own are mild, and the yangnyeomjang is where the garlic, sesame, and heat live. Drink the broth. That is half the point.
On the street this sits next to tteokbokki and kimbap. That trio is the core of Korean street food.
Nutrition per serving
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Korean fish cakes made of?
Ground white fish like cod, pollock, or snapper mixed with starch and seasonings, formed into sheets or shapes, then fried or steamed. The fish percentage on the package tells you the quality — more fish means better flavor and texture.
How long does eomukguk last in the fridge?
Three to four days. The fish cakes soften as they sit in the broth. For longer storage, freeze the broth separately and add fresh fish cakes when reheating.
Can I make eomukguk without anchovies?
Yes. Double the dried kelp and add 2-3 dried shiitake mushrooms for a vegetarian broth. Anchovy stock powder also works if you just want to skip the prep.
Why is my fish cake soup bland?
The broth needs time. Boil the radish, onion, and kelp for 20 minutes before adding anchovies, then boil 10-20 more. And season at the end — the broth should taste slightly too salty on its own since the fish cakes are mild.
Do you eat the radish in eomukguk?
Yes. The radish cooks in the broth from the start, absorbs the flavor, and turns sweet and tender. It is served alongside the fish cakes, not just used for stock.
What is eomuk?
Eomuk (어묵) is Korean fish cake. Ground white fish — usually pollock, cod, or snapper — mixed with potato or tapioca starch, pressed into sheets or tubes, and fried. You'll see it called odeng too, from the Japanese word. The quality depends almost entirely on the fish-to-starch ratio. Cheap ones are mostly filler and taste like nothing. The good stuff is 60-70% fish, bouncy when you bite it, and actually tastes like the ocean. Check the back of the package at the Korean grocery — the fish percentage is listed.
Why do you put fish cakes on skewers?
Partly tradition, partly practical. On the street carts in Korea, the skewers stand upright in the broth pot so customers can grab one and eat it while walking. At home it keeps the fish cakes from unfolding — the flat sheets are folded accordion-style onto the stick, and the skewer holds that shape while they simmer. You also get a better broth-to-fish-cake ratio per bite. If you skip the skewers and just toss the sheets in loose, they work fine. Just harder to fish out.