Stir Fried Rice Cake (Chao Nian Gao/炒年糕) – This spicy chewy rice cake dish is a twist on a traditional Chao Nian Gao. Vegan and gluten-free.
What are stir fried rice cakes?
Stir fried rice cakes, or chao nian gao (炒年糕), usually consist of thinly sliced white rice cakes and vegetables that are stir fried in a mix of oyster sauce and soy sauce. A popular vegetable to use is the baby bok choy, and it is considered to be a Shanghainese dish.
There are also Korean versions of stir fried rice cakes (e.g. tteokbokki), but these are made with thinner piped rice cakes rather than the sliced kind used in the Chinese dish, and are often spicier and soupier than its Shanghainese counterpart.
In this recipe, I present my own vegan version of Chinese inspired stir fried rice cake recipe, which can be made with just 5 ingredients! Traditional chao nian gao uses baby bok choy, but here I used mushrooms and serrano peppers with soy sauce. As a result, this recipe differs a lot from the traditional dish, but it is just as delicious and as always fully vegan!
What do you need to make these spicy stir fried rice cakes?
For this stir fried rice cakes recipe, you only need 5 simple ingredients! They are:
- Fresh Garlic
- Mushrooms
- Serrano peppers (omit or swap with green bell peppers if you don't like spicy food)
- Sliced rice cakes
- Soy sauce/tamari
You can find vacuum sealed sliced rice cakes in the refrigerated section of an Asian grocery store (I got mine from Hmart). If your local asian grocery store sells freshly made rice cakes in-house, you can also buy these as well. Just make sure you buy the ones that are sliced, and made with just rice, salt and water.
How do you make these stir fried rice cakes?
Making these spicy stir fried rice cakes is really straightforward, and you can make this dish in under 20 minutes!
- Warm some oil in a large pan on medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until the mushrooms start to turn brown and shrink in size. Stir occasionally.
- Toss in the sliced peppers (Serrano or other, if you swapped) and the salt and stir until well combined for about a minute.
- Add the sliced rice cakes and the soy sauce and stir until well combined.
- Cook for additional 2-3 minutes until rice cakes have absorbed most of the liquid. The rice cakes should be light brown in color and soft.
Tips and Tricks for the best stir fried rice cakes
- Separate the rice cakes in water. Sliced rice cakes (often the vacuum sealed ones) will often be stuck to each other. De-clump them by separating them one by one in a bowl of water.
- Customize using different peppers. I really like spicy food so I love using Serrano peppers for this dish. However, if you don't like spicy food, you can always swap these for milder peppers (jalapeños, bell peppers, mini sweet peppers etc.). You can always use less Serrano pepper as well.
These stir fried rice cakes are...
- Chewy and filling
- Customizable in spice level
- A spicier twist on a classic Shanghainese dish
- Vegan and gluten-free!
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are these gluten-free? Yes! These thinly sliced rice cakes are naturally gluten free as they are only made with rice, salt and water.
- What if I can't eat spicy food? I used Serrano peppers in this recipe, but you are welcome to swap them for less spicy peppers or even bell peppers.
- How many servings is this? This dish serves 4-5 people as an appetizer, and 2-3 people as the main dish.
If your question isn't answered here, be sure to check out the comments section below. You might find the answer to your question down there. Otherwise, please leave a comment on this post so I can get back to you ASAP!
As always, thanks for reading!
Best,
Stir Fried Rice Cakes (chao nian gao/炒年糕)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2-3 main servings, 4-5 appetizer 1x
- Category: sides, mains
- Method: stir-fry
- Cuisine: Chinese-Inspired
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Stir Fried Rice Cake (Chao Nian Gao/炒年糕) – This spicy chewy rice cake dish is a twist on a traditional Chao Nian Gao. Vegan and gluten-free.
Ingredients
- 8 oz mushroom, sliced
- ¼ c sliced garlic, packed loosely (or 10 cloves sliced)
- 3 serrano peppers, sliced (or replace with non-spicy alternative)
- 1 lb (450g) sliced rice cakes, separated
- 1 ½ tbsp tamari (or soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp cooking oil (I used olive)
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Warm the oil in a large pan on medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until the mushrooms start to turn brown and shrink in size. Stir occasionally.
- Toss in the sliced peppers (Serrano or other) and the salt and stir until well combined for about a minute. Add the sliced rice cakes and the soy sauce and stir until well combined.
- Cook for additional 2-3 minutes until rice cakes have absorbed most of the liquid. The rice cakes should be light brown in color and soft.
Notes
- I used Serrano peppers in this recipe, but you are welcome to swap them for less spicy peppers or even bell peppers.
Keywords: stir-fry, chao nian gao, mushroom, garlic, rice cake, chinese
If you tried this recipe, make sure to let me know by tagging me on Instagram @tofuify or tell me in the comment section down below. I can't wait to see your creations! ☺️
Let me know what you think!