Went for lunch at Shanghainese Street Restaurant, enjoyed rice cakes, and bought some to try at home. I experimented with the ingredients, added vegetables, and created a sauce to share with my family.

Google: “Sliced rice cakes are a type of savoury, edible rice product with a distinctively smooth, chewy, and bouncy texture, used in dishes like Chinese stir-fries and Korean soups and stews. Unlike sweet rice cakes meant for dessert, these are typically cylinder-shaped and cut into thin, flat slices before being sold fresh, dried, or frozen. They are a versatile ingredient that readily absorbs the flavour of sauces and can be boiled, sautéed, or added to hotpot and soups.

I followed the instructions to boil sliced rice cakes for 3 minutes without thawing or rinsing, and while they aren’t sticky, a few stuck together but I managed to separate them.

Well, we human makes mistakes, learnt from mistakes. Overall, I am happy to tryout and my sister and her family love it. So, too me. Next time will try it in hot and sour soup. Let’s cook!!!

Ingredients

500g sliced rice cakes
12 Brussels sprouts
1 bunch of garlic sticks
1 small red capsicum
1 small green capsicum
1 1/2 Tbs minced garlic
1 Tbs preserved olive leaves
water
olive oil or sesame oil
salt
pepper

Sauce

1/8 c water
2 Tsp chicken stock powder
1 Tbs sugar (OPT)
1 Tbs sake cooking wine
1 Tbs mirin
1 Tbs Shao Xing Chinese cooking wine
1 Tbs oyster sauce
1 1/2 Tbs olive oil or sesame oil
1 Tsp soy sauce
1/2 Tsp dark soy sauce

Method

Make the sauce

In a medium size bowl, add hot water, and sugar; stir until sugar dissolved. Then add in sake, mirin, Shao Xing Chinese cooking wine, oyster sauce, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and oil. Stir again to combined and set aside. Next mix well 1/8 c water with 2 Tsp chicken stock powder. Set aside.

Cook the vegetables

Wash and remove stems from Brussels sprouts and cut them in half lengthwise. Wash red and green capsicums; cut into bite sized. Wash garlic sticks and cut into 1 cm bite sized. Heat a saucepan on medium heat. Add 2 Tbs oil, swirl around the saucepan to coat the base and sides. Now add in minced garlic, cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Next add Brussel sprouts, line/lay them flat side on the base of saucepan; pour about a flip of water, cover with lid and cook for 3-5 minutes. Do not over crowd them. Put a large deep pot with enough water to cook sliced rice cakes. When water had boiled, empty sliced rice cake straight from the fridge and packet. I stir them around so they won’t stick to each other. Cook according to packet for 3 minutes.

Back to cooking vegetables

When time up, remove lid, toss them around then add in garlic sticks, both capsicums and pour in the prepared sauce and chicken stock liquid ; toss and cook for 3-5 minutes. Season to taste. Now drain the sliced rice cakes with a strainer. Pour the sliced cakes into the cooked vegetables and add the preserved olive leaves. Stir to coat the sauce and mixed well with vegetables. Check seasoning again. Drizzle with some more oil for glossy look. I have added 1/8 hot boiling water for more sauce. You don’t have too. Serve with rice and a side meat dish. Enjoy it with a cool Tsingtao beer!!!

https://helenscchin.com/2025/09/26/rice-cakes-and-vegetables/

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