This vegan dish is reminiscent of the classic Cantonese dim sum of fried cheung fun, or steamed rice noodle rolls, which is served with two contrasting sauces: A caramelly hoisin sauce and a nutty sesame sauce. In this recipe, tenaciously chewy rice cakes are stir-fried until crispy, then smothered in a sweet and earthy peanut sauce and finished with syrupy hoisin. Rice cakes deserve to be a pantry staple for many reasons: They can be used as a filling substitute for short pasta, added to stews or quickly pan-fried with your favorite sauce. Sold in Chinese or Korean markets, they come in tubes (like those used in tteokbokki) or sliced disks, and are packaged in vacuum-sealed packs or frozen, so they keep for ages. If you’re looking for a suitable substitute, you could use fresh rice noodle rolls or even gnocchi.

Rice Cakes With Peanut Sauce and Hoisin

Ingredients for the rice cakes:

• Kosher salt

• 2 pounds rice cake sticks or sliced rice cakes, fresh or frozen

• 2 tablespoons neutral oil such as vegetable or grapeseed

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce

• 1/2 pound yu choy or other Asian greens, halved lengthwise

• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce, diluted with 1 teaspoon water

• 2 scallions, finely sliced

• 1 tablespoon toasted white sesame seeds

Ingredients for the peanut sauce:

• 1/3 cup smooth peanut butter (natural or emulsified)

• 3 tablespoons hot water

• 1/2 tablespoon sugar

• 1 garlic clove, grated

• 1 teaspoon soy sauce

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add rice cakes and cook for 2-3 minutes, until soft. Drain/refresh under cold water.

Meanwhile, make the peanut sauce: In a medium bowl, place the peanut butter, hot water, sugar, garlic and soy sauce, and whisk together until combined. Set aside.

Heat a large (12-inch) nonstick skillet or wok on medium high. (Check the drained rice cakes. If they are sticking together, rinse them with cold water and gently toss to separate before adding them to the pan.) When the pan is hot, add the neutral oil and rice cakes, and toss to combine. Add soy sauce and stir-fry for 6-8 minutes, until the rice cakes begin to caramelize. (If more than a few clump together, add a tablespoon of water at a time and break them up with your spatula.) Add the yu choy and cook for another 3-4 minutes, until the greens are wilted. Turn off heat, add the peanut sauce and toss to coat.

To serve, drizzle with the diluted hoisin sauce, scatter with scallions and finish with sesame seeds.

Total time: 20 minutes, serves 4.

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