Hed Chef: Stir-fried rice cakes

When I first came across Korean rice cakes, I was struck by their similarity to Hockchew white rice cakes, which are referred to as nian gao in Mandarin.

You can get the rice cakes (in a cylindrical shape or flat oval ones) at Korean speciality shops or major supermarket outlets. They are usually sold frozen or you can find them in the chilled section where the fresh noodles or pasta are.

I cooked a non-spicy version of the rice cakes, using what is essentially a Chinese-style of cooking, but adding miso paste to increase the flavour.

Korean rice cakes are easy to cook and a convenient substitute for the Chinese white rice cakes.

The Chinese white rice cakes are available in dried form, which take at least four hours of soaking to rehydrate for cooking.

Instead of pork, you can also use chicken or prawn.

Makan

Crab to give the chills

Nov 09, 2017

Related Stories

Hed Chef: Stir-fry with fresh crunch from banana stems

Soup up with this nutrient powerhouse

Hed Chef: Salted egg white bittergourd

INGREDIENTS

• 500g Korean rice cakes (frozen)
• 200g pork, sliced
• 3 napa cabbage leaves, sliced
• 3 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked and sliced
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1 red bell pepper, julienned
• 1 yellow bell pepper, julienned
• 2 stalks of spring onion, sliced
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 eggs, fried into an omelette, cut into strips
• 1 tbsp of miso paste
• 3 tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 tbsp light soya sauce
• 3 tbsp cooking oil

Marinade:

• 1 tbsp Chinese rice wine
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• Dash of pepper
• ½ tsp cornflour

METHOD

1. Marinate the pork for 30 minutes.

2. Defrost the Korean rice cakes, blanch and set aside. (A)

3. Heat the wok with the cooking oil and fry the garlic until fragrant. Add mushrooms. Add half the sliced onion.

4. Add the pork and fry until the meat turns opaque. (B)

5. Add the remaining onion, napa cabbage and carrot. (C)

6. Add the miso paste.

7. Fry for a minute, then add the bell peppers and Korean rice cakes.

8. Season with oyster sauce and light soya sauce.

9. Garnish with omelette strips and spring onion.