Gluten, a type of protein, comes with some good health benefits when consumed. However, most people are sensitive to gluten, and continuous consumption of gluten-containing foods causes some serious side effects. A lot of people have celiac disease, which is an intolerance to gluten, and they will choose gluten-free meals to stay healthy.
There is not much gluten allergy awareness in Korea, as they do not react badly to it. But most of their foods are gluten-free, and packaged foods that can be eaten are clearly marked to show if they are gluten-free or not.
If you are from outside of Korea, you might not know all of their foods, let alone which ones are gluten-free. We have identified Korean meals you can enjoy without having to worry if they contain gluten. These meals are either gluten-free or can be prepared in a gluten-free manner. Let’s dig in!.
Is Korean Fish Cake Gluten Free? A Detailed Guide for 2023
Korean cuisine is beloved worldwide for its bold flavors, variety of banchan (side dishes), and the healthy ingredients like fermented foods However, a common concern for those avoiding gluten is if classic Korean foods like fish cakes contain wheat.
In this in-depth guide for 2023, we’ll cover if eomuk (a popular Korean fish cake) is gluten free, recipe substitutes, where to buy gluten free versions, and how to adapt Korean dishes that traditionally contain fish cakes.
What Are Eomuk (Korean Fish Cakes)?
Eomuk (어묵) are a style of fish cake that’s very popular in Korean cuisine. Other names for eomuk are odeng (오뎅) and fish cakes. Some of the most well known Korean foods that contain eomuk are:
- Eomuk-bokkeum (Stir fried fish cakes)
- Eomuk guk (Fish cake soup)
- Tteokbokki (Spicy rice cakes with fish cakes)
- Kimbap (Korean sushi rolls)
Eomuk ingredients typically contain:
- Surimi (fish paste)
- Wheat flour
- Starch
- Vegetables like carrots and onions
- Egg white
- Sugar, salt, MSG
The fish cake mixture is shaped into sheets, skewers, or nuggets. Then the eomuk are either boiled, steamed, or fried. Most Korean fish cakes are fried which gives them a golden brown color and slightly chewy texture similar to tofu skins.
Are Eomuk Gluten Free?
Unfortunately, most eomuk contain wheat flour and are not gluten free. Gluten is found in wheat, barley, and rye. Many Korean fish cake recipes call for a wheat flour batter to help bind and add chewiness.
Some eomuk may also contain other flavorings or starches containing gluten. So you’ll want to check all ingredients carefully if buying premade fish cakes.
Gluten Free Eomuk Options
There are a few premade gluten free eomuk options available at specialty grocery stores. H Mart is a Korean grocery chain that carries some gluten free fish cakes.
However, the most common substitute is to use dried tofu skins, also called yuba. Tofu skin has a similar chewy, stretchy texture to traditional fried eomuk. Brands like Hodo Foods sell yuba sheets that work great as wraps or cut into strips.
For a vegan eomuk, dried beancurd sticks also approximate the bite of fish cakes. Check your local Asian grocer or order online.
Homemade Gluten Free Eomuk Recipes
The easiest way to enjoy eomuk at home is to make them yourself gluten free! Most Korean fish cake recipes can be adapted by swapping the wheat flour for a gluten free option like:
- Rice flour
- Almond flour
- Coconut flour
- Arrowroot starch
Here are some tasty homemade gluten free eomuk recipes to try:
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Korean Fish Cakes from My Korean Kitchen – Substitute rice or coconut flour for wheat flour
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Egg Free Eomuk from Penniless Parenting – Uses chickpea flour and tapioca starch
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Tofu Skins from WoonHeng – Make chewy yuba at home for a vegan eomuk
Adapting Korean Dishes with Eomuk
Many classic Korean recipes like soups, stews, and rice cakes contain eomuk. Luckily, it’s easy to adapt most of these dishes to be gluten free:
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For eomuk guk (fish cake soup), use gf fish cakes or tofu skin.
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For eomuk bokkeum, sub gf oyster and soy sauce. Use gf fish cakes or yuba.
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Tteokbokki can be made gluten free by swapping gochujang for gf gochujang. Substitute rice cakes for normal tteok and use gf eomuk or tofu skin.
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Kimbap rolls can contain eomuk, so fill with gf substitutes like carrot, cucumber, tamagoyaki (egg), spinach, beef, etc. instead.
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Odeng soup can be made gluten free by using gf fish cakes and gf soy sauce.
Korean BBQ ssam (lettuce wraps) with eomuk are easy to adapt. Simply grill your meat and use lettuce leaves to wrap it up with gf ssamjang (dipping sauce), kimchi, and other banchan of your choice.
Gluten Free Korean Pantry Essentials
Cooking gluten free Korean food requires some specialty ingredients to re-create the classic flavors. Here are some essential condiments and sauces to have on hand:
- Gochujang (gf Korean chili paste)
- Doenjang (gf fermented soybean paste)
- Soy sauce (gf soy sauce like tamari)
- Oyster sauce (gf oyster sauce)
- Sesame oil
- Rice vinegar
- Togarashi (Japanese chili powder)
- Fish sauce
With these gluten free pantry staples, you can start making your favorite Korean dishes wheat free!
The Bottom Line
Most traditional eomuk (Korean fish cakes) contain wheat flour and aren’t gluten free. However, with a few easy substitutions, it’s possible to enjoy classic Korean cuisine on a gluten free diet.
Opt for premade gf fish cakes, or make your own using rice flour and other gluten free binders. Tofu skins and beancurd sticks also make great substitutes. When cooking Korean recipes with eomuk, simply swap in these gluten free alternatives.
With the right gluten free pantry essentials like gf gochujang and doenjang, it’s easy to adapt Korean soups, stews, bbq, and banchan to be wheat free. Now you can savor the complex flavors of Korea without the gluten!
Chwi Namul Muchim – 취나물 무침
In simple terms, Chwinamul muchim means “seasoned aster scaber”. Chwinamul is a type of wild green that Koreans love to enjoy as a side dish in spring.
Chwinamul can be cooked in various ways, such as in Chwinamul rice, sweet pancakes, Chwinamul soybean soup, etc. Either way, it always turns out to be very delicious and healthy.
Chwinamul muchim can be used as a topping for a popular dish, Sanchae bibimbap. It can also be dried and stored for later use. This means that it can be enjoyed at any time of the year. Since the texture of spinach is similar to that of it, either one can be used of the other. The major difference between the two lies in their taste. You can make chwinamul into kimchi, have it deep fried, or use it as wraps.
Chwinamul muchim is prepared with boiled chwinamul leaves, seasoned with garlic, salt, leek, sesame oil, and sesame seed. These ingredients are combined gently with the hand.
There are health benefits to eating this dish aside from the fact that it is gluten-free. It supplies the body with calcium, protein, phosphorus, iron, and other essential vitamins. It is also potent in easing body pain and cold. Some restaurants offer a variation of this dish Chwinamul doenjang muchim. It is prepared using soybean paste in place of soy sauce. It tastes great as well.
Kimchi – 김치
Photo Credits: KMC
Kimchi is a traditional side dish of Korea comprising a mix of fermented and spiced vegetables. Traditional ingredients include napa cabbage, carrot, and daikon radish with salt, garlic, ginger, and chili seasoning.
Some kimchi is made with rice flour, but there are also varieties without flour. Different varieties of kimchi can be made using different vegetables and spices. Kimchi is also used as a condiment and to flavor other dishes. If you buy it or eat it in a restaurant, make sure that the flour used (if any) is gluten-free. This is because the flour is most likely the only thing that contains gluten in the food. Most of the vegetables that go into making Kimchi are gluten-free, but it’s still a good idea to make sure that any other ingredients you add are also gluten-free.
Photo Credits: Korean Bapsang
Koreans have a large variety of gluten-free noodles. You can get Korean noodles called 쩴 – myeon or 국수 – guksu. They are made from potato starch, tapioca starch, mung bean starch, or a mix of these. Korean noodles are glass noodles, which are a type of clear noodle that is mostly clear when dry and like glass when it’s hot. These Korean noodles are appealing with their nice flavors and chewy texture. They can be easily purchased from grocery stores, markets, or online.
Here are some Korean gluten-free noodles, each with its unique taste:
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Sweet Potato Vermicelli (당면 – dangmyeon)
Korean dangmyeon glass noodles are gluten-free. These noodles are made from purified sweet potato starch, salt, and water. Dangmyeon is packaged in its dried form, having a slightly brown-grayish color. They have little flavors of their own but are tasty when seasoned well. Koreans make Japchae, Andong Jjimdak, Gimmari, and many other foods, such as dumplings, soups, and stews, with these noodles.
Dangmyeon is the main ingredient used in preparing Japchae.
Japchae is a popular dish in Korean cuisine. It is super delicious and quite easy to prepare. Japchae means mixed vegetable, having dangmyeon as its main constituent. A lot of vegetables go into it, giving it a colorful appearance. Some of the things you need to make japchae are dangmyeon, onion, carrot, spinach, mushrooms, garlic, sesame seeds and oil, black pepper, sugar, and gluten-free tamari sauce.
A sauce is made first of all for the noodles and then the vegetables are stir-fried. They are added to the already boiled noodles. You can always get Dangmyeon in the dried noodle aisle at Asian grocery stores.
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Acorn noodles (도토리국수 – Dotori guksu)
This traditional Korean noodle is made from a mixture of acorn flour, buckwheat or wheat flour, and salt. Acorns are healthy, and noodles having a higher percentage of acorns are considered the best noodles for consumption.
When they are packaged, they are rough and look old, but when they are cooked, they become smooth and taste nutty. Dotori guksu noodles are chewy and slightly sweet.
These noodles are best enjoyed with cold salad. Dotori guksu can also be used in Korean cold noodle soup. Acorn noodles are considered anti-cancerous, as they contain many antioxidants.
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Kelp noodles (천사채 -Cheonsachae)
This Korean noodle is made from kelp, an edible seaweed. Not only is kelp noodles gluten-free, it is also a low-calorie food. The noodles are clear, light and crunchy. They are almost flavorless and so will absorb seasonings well. Kelp noodles can be cooked in soups and stir fried or eaten raw in salads.
Kelp noodles are used to prepare the famous Cheonsachae salad (kelp noodle salad). They also serve as an alternative to pasta or rice. Kelp noodles can be found in the refrigerated section at Korean grocery stores.
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Tofu noodles
This type of noodles is obtained from pressed tofu, yam flour, and soybean curd. You can buy the dried or refrigerated type. Either of them sits well in your meal, soups, and salads inclusive.
Making these noodles takes about 15 minutes because it is easy to make. Tofu, soy sauce, agave syrup or brown sugar, chili flakes, rice vinegar, garlic, olive or vegetable oil, mustard seeds, and other things are used to make this dish.
Easy Gluten Free Korean Fish Cakes (Eomuk:어묵)
FAQ
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