Simple Recipe for Stir-Fried Fish Cake, Just Like the Good Old Days - San Diego - 1

Living in San Diego, there are times when I really crave home-cooked meals and Korean side dishes.

Even though it's not summer, the weather is nice and there are plenty of groceries, but when it comes time to prepare a home-cooked meal, there are some dishes that I just don't feel like making.

One of those is stir-fried fish cake.

It's quick to make, yet I often find myself not making it for no good reason. It used to be the top choice for packed lunches.

Back in school, it was almost always included when you opened the lid.

That dish that would come out on a plate at restaurants, bland but comforting.

However, these days, the price of fish cake has been creeping up, so I find myself being more frugal with it.

Still, once you make it, you can enjoy it for a few days, so I decided to make it again after a long time.

Slice about half a carrot thinly. For the onion, cut half of it into larger chunks instead of finely chopping it for better texture.

Prepare about 6-7 cloves of garlic, chopped generously. This really enhances the aroma.

Simple Recipe for Stir-Fried Fish Cake, Just Like the Good Old Days - San Diego - 2

For the fish cake, I used about 210g, which is roughly three rectangular pieces.

Cutting them long makes them look nice when stir-fried and easier to eat.

It's convenient to prepare the seasoning in advance. Mix 1 tablespoon of sugar, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon of sesame oil well.

I added about half a teaspoon of salt, but honestly, the soy sauce is enough, so you can skip it if you want.

Heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pan over high heat. Start by stir-frying the minced garlic.

Once the garlic aroma rises, add the fish cake and stir-fry it. When the fish cake absorbs a bit of oil and becomes soft, add the onion and carrot and keep stir-frying.

When the onion starts to turn transparent, add the pre-made seasoning sauce.

At this point, adjust the heat slightly to prevent burning and mix well. When the seasoning is evenly coated and starts to shine, it's almost done.

Finally, add a little green onion and stir-fry just once before turning off the heat, and it's complete.

It may seem simple, but this flavor is surprisingly addictive.

After making it again, I realized why I used to eat it so often.

It's easy to have in the fridge, great on rice, and just as good to eat on its own.

Sometimes, having a side dish like this really brings back the feeling of home-cooked meals.