Stir-Fried Curry Rice Cakes
Store-bought Thai curry paste, with its heady blend of herbs and spices, does the heavy lifting in this lively rice cake stir-fry. Chewy rice cakes, made from rice flour and tapioca starch, are most famously used in the Korean dish, tteokbokki, but this recipe shows they can be a blank canvas for a range of flavors, including curry paste. There are two similar varieties of this product: The sticks are usually used in Korean cooking, whereas the sliced “cakes” feature in Chinese stir-fries. Either can be used in this recipe. A staple at Korean or Asian grocery stores in vacuum-sealed packs or frozen, rice cakes are increasingly available in other supermarkets, and with their long shelf life, are excellent items to keep on hand.
Substitutions: Can’t find rice sticks or cakes? Try rice noodles, rice noodle rolls or gnocchi. In place of baby bok choy, use broccoli, kale or Swiss chard. Some Thai curry brands contain shrimp paste, so check the ingredients if you are vegan or vegetarian.
Storage: Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Where to buy: Rice cakes can be found at well-stocked supermarkets, Asian markets or online.
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Ingredients
- 2 pounds rice cakes (sticks or sliced), fresh or frozen (see headnote)
- 12 ounces baby bok choy, trimmed (about 3; see headnote)
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as vegetable or canola
- 1 medium yellow onion (8 ounces), halved and cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 1/4 cups (2 ounces) vegan Thai curry paste (red, green or yellow are all okay, see headnote)
- 8 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons untoasted sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoons fine salt, plus more for the water to cook the rice cakes
- 1 clove garlic, minced or finely grated
- 2 scallions, finely chopped, for serving
- Fresh lime, for serving (optional)
Directions
Step 1
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the rice cakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 2 to 4 minutes. Drain, and rinse under cold water; keep the rice cakes in the water until you are ready to use them.
Step 2
Halve the baby bok choy stems through the center, then cut again to separate the white and green parts. Slice the white parts and cut the green parts into 1-inch pieces.
Step 3
Heat a well-seasoned cast-iron or nonstick skillet, 12 inches or wider, over medium heat until hot, about 2 minutes. Add the oil and onions and cook, stirring, until softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the curry paste and cook, stirring constantly, until its color turns deeper and the paste starts to stick to the skillet, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Add the white parts of the baby bok choy and the green beans, increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring, until the greens soften slightly, about 2 minutes.
Step 4
Using a spider, remove the rice cakes from the water – some residual soaking water is fine – and add to the skillet, tossing them until coated in the sauce, about 1 minute. Add the tamari or soy sauce, sesame oil and salt and toss until the vegetables are tender, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Add the green parts of the baby bok choy and the garlic and toss until the greens are just wilted, about 1 minute.
Step 5
Remove from the heat, divide among shallow bowls and top with the scallions. Serve with lime wedges on the side, if using.
