Sticky, chewy Chinese rice cakes are definitely a textural affair.  These Chinese gnocchi make a great base for many flavors – leeks with lamb, salted egg yolks with crab roe or simply in a clear soup.  This simple Shanghai-style stir-fry recipe, which I recreated from eating the nian gao that my friend Geraldine’s mom makes, is a truly satisfying comfort food.

Chef’s tip: Well, Mrs.Liu recommended the Korean-made rice cakes over the Chinese made ones since it doesn’t require parboiling or soaking.

Marinade:
4 pieces chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, trimmed of fat, thinly sliced
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon oyster sauce
1/2  Tablespoon shao xing wine
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon oil

Sauce:
4 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 Tablespoon shao xing wine
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 cup chicken broth (and more if needed)

3 Tablespoon canola oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 slices ginger, thinly julienned
1/2 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 small red bell pepper, thinly sliced
4 cups napa cabbage, stems and leaves separated, sliced into 1/2 inch strips
16 oz rice ovaletts (fresh, refrigerated ones, preferably Korean made), toss to separate
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
1 stalk green onions, green parts only, thinly sliced

1. Marinade chicken strips with soy sauce, oyster sauce, shao xing wine, sugar, cornstarch and oil for 20 minutes.
2. Mix sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Heat a wok or a non stick pan over high heat.  Add half the oil, when hot, add garlic and ginger.  Saute for 30 seconds until fragrant.  Add marinated meat and onions and brown meat, about 2 minutes.  Push to the side of the wok.
4. Add napa cabbage stems and red bell pepper and saute until limp, about 2 minutes.    Push to the side of the wok.
5.  Add remaining oil, then add the rice cakes.  Drizzle in part of the sauce mixture, being careful to not soak the rice cakes.  Toss all wok ingredients together.  Add in cabbage leaves.  When the sauce has cooked off, add remaining sauce in parts, each time being careful not to soak the rice cakes.  Continuously stir fry until the rice cakes are tender, about 6 minutes.
6.  Drizzle in the sesame oil, and toss with green onions.  Serve immediately.

Serves: 4

Tags: Chinese, noodles, Shanghainese.

They call it Lion’s Head because the meatballs are ye big with manes of soft, tender napa cabbage…looking like a lion. Seriously, in Shanghai, the meatballs are the size of a tennis ball – let’s call that a quarter pounder meatball.

Chef’s tip: Slowly braise or steam to get a tender, melt-in-your-mouth meatballs. If you have a small claypot, braise the meatballs in the claypot and serve directly from it.

Meatballs:
1 lb ground pork
1 egg white
¼ cup green onions, white parts only, finely chopped
¼ cup waterchestnuts, drained and diced finely,1/8 inch cubes
1 Tablespoons ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tablespoons light soy sauce
½ teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon Shaoxing wine
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

½ cup cornstarch for dusting meatballs
½ cup canola oil

Sauce:
2 cloves garlic, lightly smashed, leaving it still whole
5 slices ginger
2 cups chicken stock
1 Tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1 Tablespoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
½ Tablespoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper

1 small napa cabbage leaves, about 8 pieces, cut into 3X1 inch pieces
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon cornstarch + 2 Tablespoons water (optional)

Preparing the meatballs
1.    Mix together the meatball ingredients (pork, egg white, chopped green onions, waterchestnuts, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, shaoxing wine, cornstarch, salt and pepper.) Place the mixture into the freezer and chill 5 minutes.
2.    Form meatballs by hand into 2-inch rounds. Dust lightly with cornstarch.  Set on a baking tray. You should have about 8 meatballs. (For a classic serving, the meatballs should be the size of a tennis ball, in that case, you should get 4 meatballs).
3.    Heat about ½ inch of canola oil in a large sauté pan. Brown the meatballs over medium-high heat, in batches, until golden brown on all sides.  Set aside.
Preparing the sauce
4.    Using the same pan, remove all but 2 tablespoons oil.  Heat on high, add ginger and garlic. Fry for 10 seconds.
5.    Add chicken stock and bring to a boil, then add remaining sauce ingredients (Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, sugar and salt). Pour the chicken stock mixture over the meatballs.
6.    Gently transfer the meatballs into the pan. Add more stock if needed to cover the meatballs entirely.  Cover and simmer (or steamed or baked 400°F) for 20 minutes.
7.    Scatter the cabbage on top and continue simmering for another 20 minutes.  The sauce should be reduced to half.
8.    If you prefer a thicker sauce, transfer the sauce into a small sauce pan and reduce the sauce further to a nappe consistency, or add the cornstarch and water slurry to thicken.
9.    Finish with sesame oil.

Serves: 4

Tags: Chinese, meatballs.