You can buy them fresh or frozen; the fresh ones are better but are harder to find (you'll have more luck on a weekend, actually). If you buy the fresh ones in long fat ropes you can slice them lengthwise into quarters and then into about 2-inch-long strips. Or you can buy some which are long but thinner, and just slice those every 2-inches. Or, slice the cakes diagonally into ovalettes about1/4 inch thick. Fresh rice cakes should be scalded in boiling water for a few seconds, then let soak completely covered in tepid water, after which they are ready for a quick stir-frying. Do not overcook. Fresh rice cakes may be kept in their packaging for 1-2 days; if there are leftover uncooked rice cakes, care should be taken that they do not dry out too much. Uncooked leftovers should either be wrapped up well, refrigerated overnight, and used the next day after being allowed to come to room temperature first, or else wrapped up very well and frozen.
The frozen ones generally come pre-sliced into ovalettes, although there is a brand which packages them in frozen ropes as well and frozen rectangles seem to be becoming more popular. Try to get some in a bag with a local label on it which might have been made fresh and then frozen only very recently. Sometimes bags of dried but not frozen rice cakes are also available, especially in large quantities--squeeze one or two through the bag and see how close to fresh they are. If you are not planning on cooking the whole amount of frozen rice cakes at once, be careful not to let the remaining portion thaw out. The consistancy of rice cakes changes drastically after being thawed once and then refrozen--when you next go to cook them, they will start shredding and splitting apart in the water, and they will not hold their shape.
Cut 2/3 lb rice cake into 2" lengths and quarter lengthwise. Scald in boiling water, rinse in cold water.
Cut 1/4 lb beef into thick strips and season it with 1 T soy sauce, 1/2 T sugar, 1 T chopped scallion, 1 clove minced garlic, 1 t sesame salt, and 1/2 T sesame oil.
Cut 1/4 lb carrots, 2 oz. bamboo shoots, 3 dried mushrooms (soaked in warm water to reconstitute first), and 1/2 cucumber into 2" long flat rectangles.
Fry seasoned beef until cooked and add vegetables, rice cakes, and 1/2 c soaking water of mushrooms. Bring to a boil. Season with 1 t soy sauce and 1/2 T sugar and stir well.
Slice red bell pepper into long strips, the green parts of scallions into 1-inch lengths, and half of a fish cake (or more to taste) into long strips. Chop finely the white parts of the scallions and 1 clove of garlic.
Prepare a modified version of the marinade for the above recipe: mix 1 T soy sauce, 1/2 T sugar, 1 t sesame salt, and 1/2 T sesame oil, also adding 1/2 t chilli sauce or more to taste.
Heat a wok with a little oil and cook the garlic and the white parts of the scallion. Add the marinade/sauce, and when bubbly, add rice cakes, red pepper, fish cakes, and green scallions. Cook for 1-2 minutes, coating all ingredients with sauce, and serve immediately.
Partially cook rice cakes (either scald then soak the fresh ones, or boil the frozen ones until just tender) and set aside, covered. Mix up in a non-stick frying pan a single package (usually about $0.79 and easy to find in any American supermarket) of Noh Korean BBQ Sauce Mix according to package directions with vegetable oil and water. Add chilli sauce to taste and scallions chopped in about 1-inch lengths. Cook sauce, stirring, until bubbling. Return rice cakes to frying pan and stir briefly, cooking them the rest of the way and coating them in the sauce. Remove rice cakes to serving platter and reduce the sauce futher, boiling until it clings to a plastic spatula easily. Pour remaining, thickened, sauce over rice cakes and serve.
FAVORITE RICE CAKE RECIPES
PLACES IN BOSTON TO EAT RICE CAKES
If you're not a meat or vegetable person you can leave both of those out of this dish and still make it successfully--I've done so many times! Still, when the recipe is followed exactly the flavors blend nicely (particularly the soaking liquid from the mushrooms) and the result is impressive.
Prepare the appropriate amount of rice cakes, either fresh or frozen, as directed above, and set aside, drained and cooked, for now.
Serve these after miso soup and pan-fried dumplings for an easy, delicious three-course dinner which is big on taste!
If you are careful not to overcook them, rice cakes are excellent in soup. Simply add strips of beef, dumplings, thin yellow noodles, the rice cakes, some scallions and any other greens you wish to a rich beef broth and have a terrific, filling meal!
Dip plain cooked rice cakes, dumplings, or both in any of the following suggested sauce mixtures, or invent your own!
- KING FUNG GARDEN (read in-depth review and see photos!)
- KOREANA in Central Square several blocks off of Mass Ave makes a very nice, spicy rice cake appetizer large enough for a main dish. At $8.95 it's expensive enough as well, but the rice cakes are nicely cooked, firm to the bite, and the dish is well-seasoned.
HOME