Holiday Donggeurangttaeng: How to Complete It in 10 Minutes Using Fish Cakes and Crab Sticks Instead of Meat

A method for quickly making Donggeurangttaeng, a holiday food famous for being labor-intensive, has been revealed using fish cakes and crab sticks without the process of grinding meat. According to a video from the YouTube channel 'The Man Who Sets the Table', you can complete Donggeurangttaeng with a soft texture in a short time by using 1 block of tofu, 4 sheets of fish cake, and 10 crab sticks as the main ingredients.

Removing Tofu Moisture and Chopping Sub-ingredients

The first step to making delicious Donggeurangttaeng is to thoroughly remove the moisture from the tofu. The video emphasized that after crushing 1 block of tofu with a knife, the water must be squeezed out tightly using a cloth or similar tool. Care must be taken so that the squeezed tofu water does not go back into the batter. This is because if the moisture is not properly removed, it can become difficult to adjust the consistency of the batter.

While squeezing the moisture from the tofu, prepare the sub-ingredients. Prepare 4 sheets of fish cake, 10 crab sticks, 2 enoki mushrooms, 1/2 onion, 1/3 carrot, and a handful of chives. For the enoki mushrooms, remove the base, wash them lightly in water, and shake off the moisture before use. Instead of chopping each one individually with a knife, the video suggests using a chopping tool to chop them so that some particles remain. In particular, it is important to stick to the appropriate amount because adding too much onion can cause water to form in the batter. Additionally, since chives play a key role in cutting the greasiness and balancing the flavor, it is good to include them even if they are replaced with green onions.

Adjusting Batter Stickiness and Seasoning Mix

After adding 2 eggs to the chopped sub-ingredients and mixing them, add the drained tofu. To absorb the moisture of the batter, add about 3 spoons of rice flour or starch first. For seasoning, add about 1 spoon of soy sauce to add umami, 1 spoon of oyster sauce, about 2 spoons of sugar, 2 spoons of sesame oil, and a bit of pepper. If you do not prefer sweetness, you can adjust the amount of sugar.

A process of kneading the batter to check its stickiness is required. In the video, there is a moment when kneading the batter, you may feel it needs more stickiness; at this time, you can adjust the consistency by adding glutinous rice flour. If you want a spicy taste, it is possible to modify it to your preference by chopping and adding Cheongyang chili peppers or red chili peppers. The completed batter is shaped into rounds and prepared.

Golden Frying and Completion

Once the batter is complete, shape it into rounds and place them in a pan with plenty of oil. The video shows the process of shaping them and then frying them slowly while watching the color before flipping them. The completed Donggeurangttaeng boasts a very soft texture due to the harmony of the tofu's protein and the fish cake/crab sticks, making it a perfect side dish to go with rice.

This recipe is characterized by shortening the cooking time by using fish cakes and crab sticks instead of meat while not missing out on the flavor. Depending on your preference, you can enjoy even more enriched and upgraded Donggeurangttaeng by adding squid, shrimp, or a little meat. It is useful for preparing for the holidays with healthy, homemade food instead of finished instant foods.