Shanghai stir-fried rice cakes are on the sweeter side compared to other types of stir fried rice cakes. You may have tried the korean stir fried rice cakes called tteokbokki. However, this version is not spicy and it has less sauce! I’m not going to say this is traditional Shanghai stir fried rice cakes, but it tastes very similar to the rice cakes I had in Shanghai, China (when I was studying abroad)!
Shanghai rice cakes taste a little bit on the sweeter side with the hoisin sauce. I like to use yu cai (or choy sum in Cantonese) when I’m sauteeing, but you can also use spinach or pea shoots! The cabbage provides a crunchy texture to the chewiness of the rice cake so I highly recommend doing that. Usually, thin slices of pork is used to saute with the rice cakes, but I’m keeping mine vegetarian friendly! Hope you enjoy!
Type of Rice Cakes I Use
Korean rice cakes are the way to go for this recipe. You need to get the sliced version instead of the long stick version. I got mine at h-mart (korean grocery store). However, they should be available at most asian grocery stores.
Ingredients You Need For Your Shanghai Rice Cakes:
- 2 cup rice cakes
- 6 cups water
- 1 tbs salt (to boil rice cakes prior to cooking)
Saute:
- 2 tbs avocado oil (1 tbs for vegetables and 1 tbs for rice cakes)
- cooked rice cakes
- 4-5 branches choy sum, chopped
- ¼ white onion, sliced
- ¼ cabbage, sliced
- 1 king oyster mushrooms, sliced (same size as rice cakes)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger
Sauce:
- 1 tbs hoisin sauce
- ½ tbs vegan oyster sauce or oyster sauce
- 2 tbs soy sauce
- 2 tbs water
- ½ teaspoon salt (add to onion, cabbage, choi sum)
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
STEPS TO MAKE THE SHANGHAI RICE CAKES:
- Prepare the rice cakes according to packaging directions. Per my rice cake instructions: wash rice cakes with cold water. In a large pot of boiling water, add 1 tbs salt. Add rice cakes and cook for 10 minutes.
- Strain rice cakes. Add rice cakes to the bowl with some water to ensure that the rice cakes don’t stick together before cooking. Set aside. Strain all the water before cooking!
- Chop your choy sum and slice the cabbage, mushroom and onions. Mince the garlic and ginger.
- On medium-high heat, add 1 tbs avocado oil to the pan/wok. Add ginger and garlic. Then, add onions. Saute for 1 minute. Then, add cabbage, choy sum, and ½ teaspoon salt and cook for 1 minute. Set aside vegetables on the plate (cabbage should still be crunchy!)
- On medium-high heat, add 1 tbs avocado oil to the pan/wok. Add rice cakes (make sure the water is strained!). Immediately, add 1 tbs hoisin sauce, ½ tbs vegan oyster sauce or oyster sauce, 2 tbs soy sauce, 2 tbs water, and 1 teaspoon sugar. Mix together and make sure the rice cakes are not sticking to the pan.
- Add vegetables and king oyster mushrooms to the rice cakes and saute for 1 minute. Finish off with sesame oil. Hope you enjoy with some dumplings or noodles!
Looking for other vegetarian recipes?
- Mapo Tofu – recipe from my uncle using our sichuan chili oil! So spicy and delicious, you gotta try!
- Hot and Sour Soup – a delicious soup thats silky and smooth. Its filled with tofu mushrooms and soft eggs.
Shanghai Rice Cakes
Ingredients
soak rice cakes in water
- 2 cups rice cakes
Saute
- 2 tablespoon avocado oil 1 tbs for vegetables and 1 tbs for rice cakes
- ½ pound ground pork
- 4-5 branches boy choy chopped
- ¼ cabbage sliced
- 5 shiitake mushrooms sliced (same size as rice cakes)
- ¼ white onion sliced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon water
- ½ teaspoon salt add to onion, cabbage, choy sum
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- soaked rice cakes
- ¼ teaspoon sesame oil to finish
Instructions
- Prepare the rice cakes according to the package directions. My instructions begins with soaking them in water for 10 minutes. Rinse and drain the water. If the rice cakes are sticking together, make sure to separate them.
- While the rice cakes are soaking, chop your bok choy into pieces, slice the cabbage, and mushrooms. Mince onions, garlic and ginger.
- Heat avocado oil in a pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and garlic followed by the onions and saute for a minute.
- Next, add your minced pork and a teaspoon of salt and separate the clumps of meat. Cook for 2 minutes.
- Add all the sauces: oyster sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, water, sugar and white pepper in the pan.
- Mix together and then, add your rice cakes. Cook for 5 minutes. Make sure to stir often so the rice cakes don't get stuck to the bottom of the pan.
- Add the cabbage, sliced mushrooms, and bok choy. Cook for 3-4 minutes covered until vegetables are tender and cooked.
- Mix together and make sure rice cakes are not sticking to the pan. Finish off with the sesame oil.
Notes
- Keep the Bok Choy. It provides a crunchy texture that complements the chewiness of the rice cake very well so I highly recommend not skipping it.
- Don’t Over Cook the Vegetables. Cook for 3-4 minutes. The cabbage should still be crunchy. Remember they will cook a bit more when added to the stir fry.
- Drain the Cakes. Make sure all the excess water is drained off. If you end up with excess water in the pan it will dilute the flavor of the sauce.
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