Rice cakes with dried shrimp

A perfect yin-yang concoction of delicate, mild-tasting rice patties topped with a pungent mound of dried shrimp.

Rice cakes with dried shrimp Credit: One World Kitchen

• serves

  10

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  20 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

For the batter

• 1 cup rice flour
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 ¼ cup (310 ml) water
• 1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil

For the topping

• 150 g medium dried shrimp
• 1½ tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 Asian red shallots
• 1 tsp sugar
• ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced, for garnish
• Nuoc Cham dipping sauce (see note)

Sitting time: 30 min

Instructions

1. In large bowl, whisk together rice flour, salt, water and vegetable oil. Let sit for 30 minutes.
 
2. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add shrimp and cook over medium heat for 8 minutes. Drain and pound the shrimp with a mortar and pestle or use a food processor to make a paste. 
 
3. To make the topping, heat the vegetable oil in a nonstick pan over medium-low heat, then add the shrimp paste and shallots. Stirring constantly, cooking until the shrimp are dry, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the sugar and pepper and cook for another minute. 
 
4. Remove from heat and set aside. 
 
5. Prepare a large, wide steamer, and arrange ramekins or small heatproof saucers in the steamer baskets in a single layer. Whisk batter and fill ramekins till ¾ full.
 
6. Cover and steam for roughly five minutes, or until the rice cakes are shiny. Remove from heat and then repeat process until all the batter is used up. 
 
7. Sprinkle each ramekin with some spring onions and shrimp topping. Serve with Nuoc Cham dipping sauce (see note).

Note:

● For the Nuoc Cham dipping sauce, combine 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 tablespoons of fish sauce and 2 tablespoons of rice vinegar in a small heatproof bowl. Pour ½ cup hot water over top and stir until sugar has dissolved. Let cool. Meanwhile, add g1 minced garlic clove and 1 chopped Thai chilli to a bowl or mortar. Add 2 tablespoons of lime juice and use a pestle or fork to mash together. Add garlic mixture to fish sauce mixture and stir well to combine.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.