Rice Cakes with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage

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I love chewy foods, but surprisingly it’s a characteristic I am hard pressed to find in western cuisine. Sure there are candies like gummy bears and maaaaaaybe we can count chewy pretzels and pizza crusts. But that’s it I think. Can you think of anything else?

Asians on the other hand, lean into chewiness. To name a few we’ve got Hi-Chew candies, mochi of all shapes and sizes, boba pearls, tteokbokki, sticky rice, cold jellyfish at Chinese banquets , udon noodles, and this — Nian Gao, AKA sliced rice cakes.

I remember the first time I tried nian gao. Circa 2001 one evening after school my parents took us to try a Shanghainese restaurant in the Richmond District called Dragon House. My aunt had been raving about it at Sunday family dinner. (Sadly it has since closed *crying*)

As the waitress brought dinner to the table, among the steamed baskets of XLBs (soup dumplings) were plates full of little coin-shaped things. Round and white, they reminded me of little moons.

The chow nian gao had ground pork and minced preserved vegetables. I remember the nian gao, chewy and simply flavored, perfectly balancing the saltiness of the other elements. Like chewy sponges that absorbed all the flavors.

So this asian-fusion chow nian gao is my way of bring a little eastern flare to western foods. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

The Recipe

Serves 3-4 as a side

Ingredients

For Stir Fry:

1 pound sliced rice cakes, not dried (🔥The Right Rice)

6-8 ounces raw Italian sausage, removed from casings (see end of recipe for homemade sausage recipe)

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 large garlic cloves, minced

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional

7-8 oz broccoli rabe, washed and finely minced (🔥Swap Options)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup dry vermouth, or dry white wine

1/4 cup chicken broth, or bouillon dissolved in water, or plain water

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan

Instructions

Soak and loosen the rice cakes

1. Remove the rice cakes from their packaging then transfer to a large bowl and cover with water.

2. Soak for 30 minutes then carefully use your hands to pry the block into clusters — a little effort is ok, but avoid cracking or breaking any slices. At this point you’re just peeling away clusters that will detach relatively easily from the block.

3. Soak for another 30 minutes, then carefully separate each slice from one another. This may require a little more effort but again, try your best to avoid cracking or breaking slices. (🎩Bath Time)

4. Drain the rice cakes in a colander, letting them rest there until ready to use.

Cook sausage

1. Set a large non-stick skillet over high heat (🎩Material Matters). When the skillet is hot add the Italian sausage, no need to add oil.

2. While it cooks, use a wooden spoon to break the sausage up into bits. Cook until the sausage has browned and no pink remains. Turn off the heat.

3. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage from the pan into a bowl, leaving as much of the grease in the pan as possible.

Cook veggies and rice cakes

1. Turn the heat to medium. To the pan of sausage fat add the olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes, if using. Stir, cooking until the garlic smells fragrant and just starting to brown.

2. Add the broccoli rabe and salt, then turn the heat up to medium-high. Stirring frequently, cook the rabe until it turns bright green, about 1-2 minutes.

3. Add the vermouth or wine and cook for 30-45 more seconds.

4. Add the broth and the rice cakes then stir to combine. Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 2 minutes.

Finish the dish

1. Uncover then stir in the sausage and half of the parmesan.

2. Let everything cook undisturbed for 3 minutes to allow some of the rice cakes to brown and develop a crust (🎩Chewy Or Crunchy). Turn off the heat.

Serve and garnish

1. Transfer to a serving dish then sprinkle with parmesan.

Enjoy!

To Reheat: For chewy consistency, sprinkle a little water (about a teaspoon) over the leftovers, cover with a damp paper towel, then microwave until hot. For crispy cakes, fry the leftovers in a nonstick skillet with up to a tablespoon of olive oil.

Homemade Italian sausage:

Ingredients:

8 oz ground pork

1 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper

3/4 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon fennel seeds

1/8 teaspoon dried oregano

1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

Instructions: In a medium bowl combine all of the ingredients for the homemade Italian sausage. Mix well with your hands. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Hot Tips 🔥

• THE RIGHT RICE— These can usually be found at your local Asian grocery store in the refrigerated section. If you have a Korean grocer near you, it will 100% be there. Be sure to purchase the pack that is vacuum sealed and fresh, not the dried variety.

• SWAP OPTIONS — The slight bitterness of broccoli rabe goes very well with the Italian sausage; however it is hard to find it year-round. For a more accessible swap-in, try broccoli or broccolini. Or, if you able to source Gai Lan (aka Chinese Broccoli) it offers the closest swap of them all.

Tricks 🎩

• BATH TIME — If your rice cakes are really stubborn, you can increase the soak time; however, I would caution against soaking beyond 90 minutes. Although some packages say you can soak the cakes overnight, I found that longer soaks produce a mushy final result. Rather than increasing the soak time, I advise working patiently and diligently to separate the cakes.

• MATERIAL MATTERS — It is SUPER IMPORTANT that your cooking surface is non-stick or else your rice cakes will create a horrible mess in your pan. If you have a very well-seasoned cast iron, you may get away with using it… or not.

• CHEWY OR CRUNCHY— If you would like a crunchier exterior, stir and cook undisturbed for another 2-3 minutes. Repeat stirring and cooking until your desired crustiness. However, do note that to achieve crunchiness you sacrifice chewiness.