FRASER ELISABETH TAN, PHD

Chao Nian Gao (Stir-Fried Chinese Rice Cakes with Napa Cabbage and Pork)

OMG so delicious - make sure to prep everything ahead of time so you can cook things quickly! Find sliced rice cakes, refrigerated or frozen, in Asian markets, some supermarkets, or online. If using frozen rice cakes, defrost them before cooking. Rinse the rice cakes just before cooking; if they sit with moisture clinging to them, they will stick together.

Serves 6-8 GF* EF DF

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, divided
  • 5 teaspoons Shaoxing wine or dry sherry, divided
  • 2 tablespoons oyster sauce, divided
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon white pepper, divided
  • 8 ounces pork tenderloin
  • 1 pound sliced rice cakes
  • 1 (1/2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin
  • 1/2 small head napa cabbage, cored and sliced crosswise 1/2 inch thick (10 cups)
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 3/4 teaspoon table salt

Equipment

  • 14-inch wok (or a 12-inch nonstick or carbon-steel skillet) with a tight-fitting lid

Directions

  1. Whisk 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine, 2 teaspoons oyster sauce, soy sauce, cornstarch, sesame oil, and 1/4 teaspoon white pepper together in a medium bowl. Slice pork tenderloin crosswise 1/4 inch thick, then cut each slice into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Add pork to marinade and stir well to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. Prepare the other ingredients while the pork marinates.
  2. Combine remaining 4 teaspoons Shaoxing wine and 4 teaspoons oyster sauce in a small bowl and set aside.
  3. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in wok over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add ginger and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add scallion whites and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 15 seconds. Add pork and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until pork is no longer pink, about 1 minute longer.
  4. Add cabbage and cook, stirring constantly to incorporate pork, until cabbage has wilted to half its volume, about 2 minutes. (If using a skillet, add the cabbage in two additions; cook the first for 2 minutes, and then add the remainder and cook for an additional minute before proceeding.)
  5. While the cabbage is cooking, place rice cakes in a medium bowl, separating any that are stuck together. Cover with cold water and, using your hands, agitate cakes to remove excess starch and separate any cakes that are stuck together. Drain and set aside.
  6. Stir the Shaoxing wine mixture into the pan. Spread cabbage into an even layer, pour broth over cabbage, and add rice cakes on top in a single layer. Increase heat to high, cover, and cook for 2 minutes. Uncover, add salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon white pepper, and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until sauce has thickened slightly and rice cakes are tender but still chewy, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Remove ginger, if desired. Garnish with scallion greens and serve immediately.

Notes

  • I’ve made a few modifications: I doubled the marinade and the Shaoxing wine/oyster sauce mixture, and I treat the scallions as optional.
  • My local Korean market has pre-sliced pork belly - delicious and easy to substitute here!
  • Instead of the garlic and the ginger, I use a heaping tablespoon of ginger-garlic paste.
  • If you use tamari, this dish can be made gluten-free.

Source: America's Test Kitchen