There’s something special about family recipes, especially those that are used every holiday and delightfully enjoyed by everyone, and I MEAN EVERYONE. A recipe that has been an all-time family-favorite comes from my dad, whose Chinese stir-fried rice cakes (or nian gao) have become a staple in our home. With the approval of my dad, I am sharing this cherished recipe with you today! Jump to my YouTube video below, where MY FATHER HIMSELF demonstrates how to cook his dish, which is usually made in a big batch to serve our large family. There is a perfect balance of flavors, aroma and textures in his rice cakes, and it has brought us together during every family gathering. The perfect meal to symbolize unity!
Heart of the Dish: Rice Cakes
Known as 年糕 (nian gao) in Mandarin, rice cakes are soft and chewy cakes made from glutinous rice flour, often served during Lunar New Year. Nian (年) means “year,” and gao (糕) means “cake,” symbolizing the wish for good fortune and progress in the upcoming year.
Nian gao can be found in many Asian supermarkets and grocery stores. You may have come across cylindrical-shaped rice cakes in Korean dishes like tteokbokki. In Chinese cuisine, however, disc-shaped nian gao (like this one) are more commonly used. Stir-frying them takes them to another level of flavor and texture, which is exactly what my dad does in his recipe!
Ingredients Needed:
To make this dish, you’ll need a few key ingredients. You can find the seasonings in my Amazon storefront, or access through direct links below:
- Rice cakes: This is the star of the show! Use the disc-shaped rice cakes as opposed to the cylindrical-shaped ones often used in Korean dishes.
- Pork belly: My dad uses thinly sliced pork belly, render extra flavorful fat that gets infused into the dish. You can substitute with chicken, shrimp or beef if you prefer.
- Vegetables: A mix of vegetables like shiitake mushrooms and cauliflower adds texture and fiber the dish. Feel free to use any vegetables you enjoy, like bok choy or napa cabbage. They will still work wonderfully.
- Shaoxing wine, soy sauce and chicken bouillon powder : These ingredients provide the essential salty, savory kick that will enhance flavors of the entire dish.
Steps:
SOAK/BOIL RICE CAKES: Boil rice cakes for a couple minutes until they become soft and pliable. Alternatively, you can soak them in warm water longer and strain for use right before cooking.
STIR-FRY PORK BELLY: Heat some oil in a wok over medium-high heat. Add the pork belly slices and stir-fry until 80% cooked (about 2-3 minutes).
COOK VEGETABLES: In the same wok, add a bit more oil if needed, then add vegetables and stir-fry. Add Shaoxing wine, stir more, then close the lid and allow to cook for 4-5 minutes or until tender.
ADD RICE CAKES: Add the soaked rice cakes into the wok with the vegetables. Stir everything together to combine, about 3 minutes.
ADD FLAVOR: Pour in the seasonings, then stir-fry for another 2-3 minutes until the rice cakes are coated with the sauce and heated through.
DISH UP: Once everything is cooked through and ingredients are well incorporated, you’re ready to serve. Enjoy!
What Makes This Recipe Special:
My dad’s Chinese stir-fried rice cakes aren’t just about the ingredients; they’re about the memories we’ve created around the dinner table. We grew up eating this dish during special family gatherings or for weeknight dinner. Now that we’re older and geographically distant, this dish unites us whenever we get together again. I hope his recipe brings as much joy to your table as it does to ours.
Comment / Tag me!
Tried my dad’s recipe? Leave me a comment below and tag your pictures with @rackoflam and hashtag #rackoflam on social media! Also follow my YouTube channel for instructional recipe videos!
My Dad’s Stir-fried Rice Cake Recipe (炒年糕)
Ingredients
BOILING RICE CAKES
- 1 tbsp olive or avocado oil
- 2 lb rice cakes
REMAINING INGREDIENTS
- 1 tbsp olive or avocado oil
- ¾ lb pork belly cut into bite-sized pieces
- 6 large shiitake mushrooms sliced
- ½ lb cauliflower cut into pieces
- 3-4 stalks Chinese celery cut into 2 inch pieces
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp less sodium soy sauce
- 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder
Instructions
- Gather all your ingredients.
BOILING RICE CAKES
- Boil some water in a large wok or pan (enough to submerge all the rice cakes). Add 1 tbsp of oil in the boiling water, then add the rice cakes, stirring to prevent sticking. When the rice cakes are softened (about 1-2 minutes), strain, then immediately soak in ice cold water to stop the cooking process. Drain then set the rice cakes aside.
STIR-FRYING
- Over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp olive/avocado oil in a large nonstick pan or wok, swirling to coat evenly, then stir-fry the pork belly for about 2-3 minutes (or about 80% cooked).
- Add shiitake mushroom slices, cauliflower and celery, then stir ingredients together. Add Shaoxing wine around the rim of the pan, then close the lid and cook for 4-5 minutes. If your pan appears too dry, you can add some water, 1 tbsp at a time.
- Remove the lid, then add rice cakes. Stir-fry for another 3-4 minutes.
- Add sea salt, sugar, soy sauce and chicken bouillon powder and stir fry until all the seasonings are well incorporated, about 2-3 minutes, and all the ingredients are fully cooked.
- Plate and serve! Enjoy!
Video
Notes
PRODUCTS USED OR RECOMMENDED:
- Light Soy Sauce – https://amzn.to/3bfWJJ3
- Chicken Buillon Powder – https://amzn.to/3O2Y86p
- Soy Sauce – https://amzn.to/3y0DKNW
- Sea Salt – https://amzn.to/3zJNm0K
- Shaoxing Wine – https://amzn.to/2KZOqXp
- Nonstick Wok – https://amzn.to/3d6LWUK
- Squeeze Bottles – https://amzn.to/3tBBN7V
- Mesh Sieves – https://amzn.to/3bobmu9
- Cutting Boards – https://amzn.to/2KSyG8p
- Chopsticks – https://amzn.to/3u8i5iD
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