SALT-AND-PEPPER PORK WITH CRISPY RICE CAKES

Salt-and-Pepper Pork With Crispy Rice Cakes image

Provided by Andy Baraghani

Yield 4 Servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

8 oz. Korean rice cakes
2 Tbsp. (or more) vegetable oil
8 oz. ground pork, turkey, or chicken
1 (2") piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 scallions, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil

Steps:

Place rice cakes in a medium bowl and pour in cold water to cover. Let soak 10 minutes. Drain, rinse, and pat dry.
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add pork and cook, undisturbed, until browned underneath, about 2 minutes. Break up with a wooden spoon or a spatula and continue to cook, stirring and breaking into large pieces, until browned all over but still pink in places, about 2 minutes more. Add rice cakes, ginger, garlic, and half of scallions; season with salt and plenty of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pork is cooked through and rice cakes are browned in spots, about 4 minutes. If pan looks a bit dry at any point, pour in a little more oil. Remove pan from heat; add butter, soy sauce, and sesame oil and toss to coat.
Transfer pork mixture to a platter and top with remaining scallions.