Korean Ketchup Fried Frankfurters (Sausage Yachae Bokkeum)

Korean Ketchup Fried Frankfurters (Sausage Yachae Bokkeum) is a recipe that immediately jumped out when I first flicked through Pocha by Su Scott. Not only do I love both frankfurters and ketchup, the way that the franks are hassel-backed to give more surface area for the sticky sweet and tangy sauce to cling to is genius!

This is a quick, easy and delicious dish that appeals to adults and kids alike.

You can find our full review of Su Scott’s Pocha cookbook here, and you may also enjoy our review of our previous cookbook, Rice Table.

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Ketchup Fried Frankfurters (Sausage Yachae Bokkeum)

I used to think it was my lucky day when my school lunch box was packed with these little bite-sized sausages smothered in a sweet, vinegary ketchup sauce. Little did I know back then, it was also favoured by many as a beer snack. Perfectly hasselbacked sausages open up to catch the tangy, salty-sweet sauce in the pockets; the sweet acidity complements the smoky flavours with the cooked onions and peppers leaving a touch of freshness to balance. It’s still one of the most loved cheap and cheerful old-school beer snacks.

Servings 4 people

Author Su Scott

Ingredients

• 350 g 12oz frankfurters
• 2 tbsp tomato ketchup (catsup)
• 1 tbsp golden granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• ½ red onion, sliced
• 150 g 5oz green (bell) peppers, sliced
• 1 red chilli, sliced
• ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds

Instructions

• Slice the frankfurters in half, then in half again so you have bite-sized pieces about 4cm (1 1⁄2 in) long. Make parallel cuts on top of each piece – as you would with hasselback potatoes – about one-third of the way down and 1–2mm apart. You should be able to cut a few pieces together at the same time.
• Combine the ketchup, sugar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and oyster sauce in a small bowl.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté briefly until fragrant and softened. Add the frankfurters, onion, peppers and chilli and stir-fry for about 3 minutes until the sausages have cooked through and the onions and peppers have cooked enough but still have a little bite to them.
• Add the ketchup seasoning and black pepper and continue to cook for 2 minutes, stirring energetically to coat everything evenly. As the sugar starts to cook, you should notice the sweet aromas of caramelization. When the sauce has reduced to coat everything in a glossy glaze, remove from the heat and stir in the sesame seeds. Serve warm as a beer snack or with some plain steamed rice.

Once you’ve made the recipe once you’ll realise how adaptable it is; the second time we made it we upped the ratio of green beans, and the time after that we switched in longstem broccoli.

If you love Korean food, do check out our full list of Korean recipes!

Kavey Eats received a review copy of Su Scott’s Pocha: Simple Korean Food From The Streets Of Seoul from publishers Quadrille. Photography by Toby Scott. Home cooking photos by Kavita Favelle.