This is a recipe I took a while to figure out, but in my opinion, have gotten it really close to the "real" version. The inspiration is from "Chao Nian Gao" - a Shanghai-style dish that a friend introduced to me. When I can't make it out to my fave Shanghai restaurant, this is the fairly easy replacement.
Ingredients:
Rice "ovalettes", set to soak for a few minutes in a bowl of hot water
Bok Choy (or other quick cooking green - pea tendrils are also delicious in this!) cleaned and pulled apart at the base, left damp
Soy sauce
Sesame oil
Fresh garlic
Peanut oil
Water
You'll need either a wok or large skillet, with a fitted lid.
I start mine on high on my electric stove. As soon as it's consistently hot (toss a water drop in - if it sizzles and disappears quickly, it's hot enough) add a few tablespoons of the peanut oil. When the oil is hot, throw in a few (2-4) cloves of garlic, whole but slightly smashed - I whack them with the side of my chef's knife. Let the garlic get a little golden, then throw in the drained rice ovalettes. If it's just me, I will toss in two handfuls - add more if you're hungrier. Over the top of the rice cakes, pour in about 3-4 tablespoons of soy sauce, then 2-3 tablespoons of sesame oil. Stir the pan vigorously to coat the rice cakes with the liquids, then toss in the still damp bok choy. Stir the pan again, then cover with the lid for about 5 minutes.
When you open the lid, the rice cakes should have a brown edge, and the greens should be steamed. Put them in a bowl, grab some chopsticks and go :)
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