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A plate of Shanghai rice cakes stir-fried with sliced beef, mushrooms, onions, and green onions, all coated in a glossy brown sauce. The dish is garnished with chopped green onions.

Stir-Fried Shanghai Rice Cakes (Chao Nian Gao)

Stir-Fried Shanghai Rice Cakes (Chao Nian Gao) are tossed with tender pork, napa cabbage, mushrooms, and a savory soy-based sauce for a classic, comforting Chinese dish made at home.
4.50 from 2 votes
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 554kcal

Equipment

Ingredients 

US Customary - Metric

For the Pork

Sauce

Stir-Fry Ingredients

  • Avocado oil
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger
  • 5 dried shiitake mushrooms rehydrated and thinly sliced (save soaking liquid for later)
  • 3 cups Napa cabbage washed, drained, and chopped into 1-inch strips
  • 2 green onion cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 pound rice cakes frozen or vacuum-sealed (see recipe notes for extra instructions)
  • ⅔ cup low-sodium chicken broth

Garnishes

Instructions

  • In a bowl, combine the pork shoulder with soy sauce, oyster sauce, corn starch, and salt. Mix until evenly coated and let marinate for 10 minutes.
    8 oz pork shoulder, 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tsp corn starch, ¼ tsp salt
  • In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, dark soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, sugar, sesame oil, corn starch, and white pepper until smooth. Set aside.
    2.5 Tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp dark soy sauce, 1 Tbsp Shaoxing wine, 1.5 Tbsp oyster sauce, 1.5 tsp granulated sugar, 1 tsp sesame oil, ½ tsp corn starch, Dash of white pepper
  • Heat a bit of avocado oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the marinated pork and stir-fry until just cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
    Avocado oil
  • Add another drizzle of avocado oil then add the garlic and ginger. Stir-fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the rehydrated shiitake mushrooms and deglaze the pan with a splash or two of the reserved soaking liquid. Cook for about 1 minute until softened.
    3 cloves garlic, 1 tsp minced ginger, 5 dried shiitake mushrooms
  • Add the Napa cabbage and green onions then stir-fry for 1-2 minutes until the cabbage softens slightly.
    3 cups Napa cabbage, 2 green onion
  • Add the frozen rice cakes and chicken broth. Cover and simmer for 2-4 minutes until the rice cakes are tender and slightly chewy (be careful not to overcook as the rice cook will become soggy). Return the pork to the pan, pour in the sauce, and toss everything together until evenly coated and the sauce slightly thickens.
    1 pound rice cakes, ⅔ cup low-sodium chicken broth
  • Serve immediately and garnish with chopped green onions and optional chili oil.
    Chopped green onions, Chili oil

Notes

  • If using vacuum-sealed rice cakes, separate rice cakes before cooking.
  • If using dried rice cakes, pre-soak in lukewarm water for 3-4 hours. Afterwards, separate the rice cakes with your hands before cooking.

Nutrition

Calories: 554kcal | Carbohydrates: 102g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 23mg | Sodium: 1574mg | Potassium: 710mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 243IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 3mg