Korean Eomuk Hot Bar (Fried Fish Cake Skewer)

Quick answer

Total time: 30 min
Level: Easy
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients: 8

About this dish

Eomuk hotbar is a Korean street food snack made by threading fish cake onto a skewer, coating it in a flour and egg batter, and deep-frying until golden.

Wrapping the fish cake in a spiral around the skewer before frying maximizes the surface area that the batter can cling to, and the result after frying is a double-layered texture: a crisp outer shell from the batter and a chewy, springy fish cake center underneath. Adding a small amount of baking powder to the frying mix causes the batter to puff slightly, producing a lighter crunch that does not feel heavy despite the frying. Ketchup or mustard is the standard condiment, applied straight from the bottle at roadside stalls. The mild fish flavor from the eomuk comes through subtly from beneath the fried coating rather than dominating.

Ingredients

servings

IngredientAmountUnit

flat fish cake sheets4 eaea

wooden skewers4 pcspcs

Korean frying mix1 cupcup

water120 mlml

breadcrumbs½ cupcup

cooking oil600 mlml

ketchup2 tbsptbsp

mustard1 tbsptbsp

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Instructions

Read the steps as a cooking flow: prep, heat, seasoning, doneness control, and finish.

6 steps

1

Step

Soak 4 square fish cakes in hot water for 10 seconds to remove surface oil and impurities.

Drain and pat completely dry.
2

Heat

Fold each fish cake lengthwise in a zigzag pattern and thread firmly onto a skewer, passing the end through the stick at least twice so it doesn't unravel during cooking.
3

Finish

Combine 1 cup tempura mix and 120ml cold water to make a smooth but thick batter.

Do not over-stir; small bubbles ensure crispiness. Spread breadcrumbs on a wide plate.
4

Heat

Dip the fish cake skewer into the batter to coat evenly, then place on the breadcrumbs and press firmly by hand to adhere.

The crumbs need to be firmly pressed to stay on during frying.
5

Control

Heat oil to 170C.

Fry the hotbar over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, turning, until all sides are golden-brown and crispy. Remove and drain for 1 minute.
6

Finish

Serve immediately with 2 tbsp ketchup and 1 tbsp mustard.

The breadcrumb coating softens as it cools, so eating while hot gives the best crunch.

Practical Cooking Checks

The cues that matter most while cooking.

Key technique: Fish cake is spiral-wrapped around a skewer and deep-fried in a light batter for a classic snack.
Finish cue: Fry the hotbar over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, turning, until all sides are golden-brown and crispy.
Avoid this: Do not over-stir; small bubbles ensure crispiness.