Lunch 1B: Shanghai Rice Cakes

I love Shanghai food. I especially love rice cakes (年糕), which are traditionally had to ring in the new year, but now can also be had whenever the craving hits. :) This is one of the most easily scalable and variable recipes ever, so adjust away.

Time: 0:30
Serves: 8

Ingredients
* 1 head napa cabbage
* 1 package dried rice cakes (about 1.5-2 cups)
* 3/4 cup pork strips (or ground pork)
* 1 winter bamboo (optional)
* 2 teaspoon rice cooking wine
* vegetable oil
* water
* cornstarch
* salt to taste
* black rice vinegar to dip

1. Marinate the pork with a teaspoon of cornstarch, 2 teaspoons rice wine, and a pinch of salt. I add a dash of soy sauce, my mother doesn't - up to you.
2. Taking 3-5 leaves of the napa cabbage at a time, cut them into thirds lengthwise, then turn and slice them thinly.
3. Peel off the husks of the bamboo and scrap away the fuzz on whatever remains. Julienne.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large non-stick skillet (or saucepan if you don't have a skillet large enough). My mother would add more oil for the authentic taste. Sauté the pork on high heat until no more pink shows, constantly stirring to make sure the strips don't stick (or to make sure you get small clumps of ground pork instead of a huge patty). Set aside.
5. Pour enough water to immerse the bamboo and bring to a boil. Add the bamboo and boil until they've softened, then set aside. Reserve the leftover water.
6. Put the napa cabbage in the skillet. This part gets tricky. If you want, you can separate the napa cabbage into batches to cook. It will shrink as it cooks and the water escapes. Heat and keep flipping so that all parts of the cabbage are cooked. Add some of the water from cooking the bamboo if the pan gets too dry. Set aside when softened.
7. Put the dried rice cakes. I put some water in, my mom adds a lot of oil. Keep stirring to keep from sticking. If the water dries before the rice cakes are soft, add some more.
8. Now combine the pork, bamboo, napa cabbage, and rice cakes - this is why I said to use a large skillet. Add salt to taste. Mix 1-2 teaspoons cornstarch with some of the leftover water and add that too. Fold until everything's nicely combined, then serve with a bit of black rice vinegar for people to dip as desired.

Variations: Add a cup of shiitake mushrooms instead of the bamboo - just slice and cook with a bit of rice wine and water.
Julienne and boil/sauté two green peppers with half a cup of shelled edamame beans and add that instead of the bamboo.
Halve the recipe and keep half the ingredients for something else.
I've seen this dish cooked a different way in pretty much every restaurant I've been to that serves it.