Korean-style serving of Fish-shaped red-bean bun

붕어빵 · Fish-shaped red-bean bun

Fish-shaped red-bean bun

붕어빵

What exactly is it?

Batter and sweet red-bean paste bake in a fish-shaped mold. The thin tail turns crisp while the body holds the filling. Despite the shape, the standard bun contains no fish; custard is another common filling.

Main ingredients

Flour batter and sweet red-bean filling; other versions use custard, chocolate or cheese

Ordering and serving

Specify how many red-bean and custard buns you want. The filling in the body stays hotter than the thin tail.

Origins and changes

It belongs to the line of fish-shaped cakes associated with Japanese taiyaki and adapted in Korea as bungeoppang. Modern shops vary both the size and fillings.

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Dish to compare

Fish-shaped red-bean bun

붕어빵

Main ingredients
Flour batter and sweet red-bean filling; other versions use custard, chocolate or cheese
Flavor and character
Batter and sweet red-bean paste bake in a fish-shaped mold. The thin tail turns crisp while the body holds the filling. Despite the shape, the standard bun contains no fish; custard is another common filling.
How to eat it
Specify how many red-bean and custard buns you want. The filling in the body stays hotter than the thin tail.
Read about this dish →

Chrysanthemum-shaped bun

국화빵

Main ingredients
Flour batter and sweet red-bean paste; some batters contain egg or milk
Flavor and character
A small patterned mold gives this red-bean-filled cake its flower shape. It is round and thick, usually smaller than a fish-shaped bun. The chrysanthemum name describes the pattern rather than a necessary flower ingredient.
How to eat it
Break one open to cool the filling. When sold by the bag, check the number of cakes as well as the price.
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