Stir-fried Rice Cakes with Pork

You will need a small, microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup, a sharp knife, two large bowls, a cutting board, and either a 12-14 inch/33-35cm wok or sauté pan with a heavy bottom.

“*” denotes points in recipe where you can take a break.

If you are making rice, start it now.

*

If you are using Chinese-style ham, steam it now. Allow to cool while you prep rest of dish.

*

Place dried mushrooms in microwave-safe bowl or cup, cover with water, and microwave for a minute. Push mushrooms beneath water with clean implement to saturate them. Allow to soak. Do not burn your fingers and sue me.

*

Prepare the marinade:

In one of your large bowls, mix soy sauce, rice wine, and cornstarch into a slurry. Slice the pork, give the marinade a stir–cornstarch likes to settle–and add the meat. Mix to combine with fork or your very clean hands. If mixture seems dry, add a very little more soy sauce with a spoon. Do not pour directly from bottle to bowl, lest you have an oversalted mess. I have done this.

If you are taking a break, refrigerate the pork. Otherwise, leave it out.

*

Drain the mushrooms, reserving soaking water if using as moistening agent. Slice mushrooms into strips if whole.

If you steamed ham and allowed to cool, slice into small pieces.

Rinse pickled mustard tuber in cool water. I find a handheld strainer useful here. Pat dry with paper towels. If there are any large chunks, slice them into smaller bits.

Arrange all your ingredients near wok. Place a spoon and large clean bowl nearby, too. Also your drink. But not your cell phone!

*

Stir-fry the dish:

If you refrigerated the pork, take it out of the fridge.

Place wok on burner and heat to high. Add about two tablespoons peanut oil: you want the bottom of wok coated generously. Heat until just under smoking point.

Turn heat down slightly and tip in pork. Cook, stirring continuously, until pork is just cooked through, about two minutes. Don’t overcook; you’ll be adding pork back to the wok. Turn heat down. Spoon pork into the clean bowl.

Add a little more oil if necessary. Crank heat back up. Add the ginger and scallion. Stir for about half a minute. Now add the ham and dried mushroom. Stir fry for another half-minute.

Add the rice cakes and pour in about a quarter-cup/60 ml broth, water, or reserved mushroom water. Rice cakes like to stick, so use your judgement here. Continue stir-frying, drizzling in more liquid as needed to prevent sticking. The rice cakes will cook through within a minute or so, becoming soft and flexible.

Add the picked mustard, if using.

Now return pork to the wok and give everything a good stir. Taste for salt, add a nice slug of sesame oil, and try not to pick out all the rice cakes before you hit the table.

Leftovers, should you have any, are great for breakfast or will keep, refrigerated in a covered container up to three days.

Leftover rice should be refrigerated immediately after eating and consumed within three days.

Notes:

Chinese ham cannot be imported into the United States. Chinese-style hams are sold in Asian markets. The one I bought needed steaming for 10 minutes before stir-frying; consult package directions.

If you don’t have light soy sauce, feel free to use regular.

Carolyn’s recipe includes bamboo shoot, a delectable addition provided it isn’t too waterlogged from freezing. (ahem.)