Cherry & Dennis Helper Habitat

Shanghai Pork and Napa Cabbage Rice Cakes

Name: Shanghai Pork and Napa Cabbage Rice Cakes
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 600 g Shanghai rice cakes; 300 g lean pork; 450 g napa cabbage; 150 g dried shiitake mushrooms; 2 tbsp light soy sauce; 1 tbsp oyster sauce; 1 tsp sesame oil; 300 ml chicken stock; 1 tbsp cornstarch

上海肉絲紹菜炒年糕

Shanghai Pork and Napa Cabbage Rice Cakes: Chewy rice cakes braise under a lid with pork, napa cabbage and shiitake before the stock reduces to a light glaze.

Total time: 35 min
Difficulty: Easy
Servings: 4 servings

Recipe overview

Chewy rice cakes braise under a lid with pork, napa cabbage and shiitake before the stock reduces to a light glaze.

Ingredients

Main ingredients

600 g Shanghai rice cakes
300 g lean pork
450 g napa cabbage
150 g dried shiitake mushrooms
2 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
300 ml chicken stock
1 tbsp cornstarch

Shanghai Pork and Napa Cabbage Rice Cakes: 600 g Shanghai rice cakes, 300 g lean pork, 450 g napa cabbage, 150 g dried shiitake mushrooms, 2 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 300 ml chicken stock, 1 tbsp cornstarch

Tools

knife
cutting board
small bowl
wok
spatula
tongs
measuring cup
measuring spoons
serving plate

Shanghai Pork and Napa Cabbage Rice Cakes: knife, cutting board, small bowl, wok, spatula, tongs, measuring cup, measuring spoons, serving plate

Steps

Step 1

Separate the rice cakes

Separate 600 g Shanghai rice cakes piece by piece by hand; rinse stuck pieces under cold water for 10 seconds, then drain.

Step 2

Slice pork into thin strips

Slice the pork across the grain into strips about 5 cm long and 5 mm thick, trimming any thick pieces.

Step 3

Marinate pork with soy and cornstarch

Massage the light soy sauce and cornstarch into the pork until no dry starch remains, then leave for 5 minutes.

Step 4

Slice cabbage and mushrooms

Cut the napa cabbage into 4 cm pieces, separating stems from leaves, and slice the shiitake mushrooms 5 mm thick.

Step 5

Stir-fry the pork for four minutes

Heat the wok over medium-high and stir-fry all marinated pork for 4 minutes, separating the strips, until the outside is browned and the thickest strip has only a faint pink centre.

Step 6

Remove the pork temporarily

Remove the pork while the centre is still faintly pink, leaving the oil and juices in the wok for the vegetables.

Step 7

Cook the cabbage and mushrooms for three minutes

Add all 450 g napa cabbage and 150 g shiitake mushrooms to the hot wok. Stir-fry over medium-high heat for exactly 3 minutes, until the leaves wilt and the mushroom surfaces glisten.

Step 8

Add the rice cakes and stock

Add all drained rice cakes and all 300 ml chicken stock. Separate any pieces stuck together, scrape the wok bottom and bring the liquid to a steady simmer.

Step 9

Cover and braise the rice cakes

Cover the wok and braise over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, opening once halfway to separate the rice cakes, until every piece bends easily and has no hard centre.

Step 10

Return pork to the pan

When the rice cakes are tender, return the pork and its juices and toss for 30 seconds over medium heat.

Step 11

Season with oyster sauce and sesame oil

Add the oyster sauce and sesame oil around the wok and toss through; taste before deciding whether any more seasoning is needed.

Step 12

Reduce to a light glaze and serve

Toss uncovered over medium-high heat for 2 minutes, until the pork reaches 75°C and the remaining stock forms a thin glaze around the rice cakes instead of a watery pool.

Common mistakes

Cooking the cabbage for four minutes instead of three makes it watery.
Braising uncovered leaves hard rice-cake centres.

Tips

Open once halfway to separate only the pieces that stick.

Finish uncovered so the glaze clings without turning soupy.