Are rice cakes pasta? Absolutely not. Can they be treated like pasta? Most definitely yes! Rice cakes can go almost anywhere pasta lives. Cacio e pepe? In a spicy vodka sauce? With kale pesto? Check, check, check. They require nowhere near as much water as a pot of pasta and can be cooked directly in the sauce with a splash of liquid, as is done here after giving the rice cakes a quick crisp in an oiled skillet. Forgot to set the timer? Rice cakes are forgiving and remain chewy and bouncy even with a little extra cook time. Look for skinny sticks of fresh or frozen (thaw in cool water) rice cakes in vacuum-sealed bags. If you can only find coins of sliced rice cakes, those will work, too.
What you’ll need
Kitchen Towels
$30 At Amazon
Large Nonstick Skillet
$50 At Amazon
Chef's Knife
$61 $51 At Amazon
Recipe information
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Rinse 1 lb. cylindrical Korean rice cakes (about 2½" long) under cool running water. Drain and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Heat 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Cook rice cakes, shaking pan occasionally, until golden brown and crisp underneath, 7–10 minutes (rice cakes may clump and that is normal), and transfer to a plate.
Step 2
Meanwhile, separate dark green parts from 6 scallions and thinly slice; set aside. Cut white and pale green parts crosswise into 1" pieces.
Step 3
Cook 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces, in same pan over medium-high heat until golden brown and nutty, about 45 seconds. Add white and pale green parts of scallions and 3 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 3 large ears); cook, stirring occasionally, until corn is blistered in spots, 6–8 minutes. Add 3 Tbsp. white or yellow miso, 2 tsp. rice wine vinegar, 1 tsp. soy sauce, and ¾ cup water; smash miso with a heatproof rubber spatula to dissolve. Bring sauce to a simmer; cook until sauce thickens and clings to corn, about 2 minutes.
Step 4
Return rice cakes to pan and add 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil, and remaining 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces; cook, tossing often, until rice cakes are coated, about 2 minutes. Taste and season with kosher salt.
Step 5
Divide rice cakes and sauce among shallow bowls; top with reserved dark green scallion parts.
