WHAT IS IT?
Rice cakes are disc shaped (and sometimes tubular cylindrical shaped) noodles made with glutinous rice flour. (Not to be mistaken with the puffed rice cakes that are more cracker-like and crispy.) Most commonly used in Korean cuisines and is called tteok in Korean.
HOW IS IT USED?
Depending on the shape of the rice cake they are usually cooked in different ways.
The flat disc shaped rice cakes are most commonly used in stir-fries and Korean stews.
The tubular shaped ones, are most commonly cooked in a broth with gochujang paste and fish cakes as a comfort food, also known as Tteok-bokki (a very common Korean street food).
It can also be pan fried to give the exterior a crispy burnt rice texture with a chewy interior and served with a dipping sauce.
Recipe ideas for Rice Cake usages:
WHERE DO I FIND IT?
Rice cakes would most commonly be found in an Asian supermarket. Some are kept in the fridge, but they usually can also be found in the freezer aisle as well.
You can also find these in the dried noodle aisle as well, but they take a bit more work to use. It is much easier to buy the fresh or frozen ones.
If you can't find them in your area, you can find them online.
FLAVOUR PROFILE
Rice cakes don't have a lot of flavour, in fact I'd say it has no flavour at all, but it is excellent in absorbing flavours from the sauces that is cooked with it.
TEXTURE PROFILE
Chewy. Very satisfyingly chewy. One of the main reasons for using this noodle would be for the texture and ease of use for quick meals.
STORAGE
Dried rice cakes can be stored in a dry and cool place up to the expiry date. If you bought them from the refrigerator or freezer section, they can be stored in a well sealed container or ziploc in the freezer for up to a year.
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