Ningbo Water-Ground Rice Cake Soup
A traditional comforting Ningbo-style rice cake soup featuring chewy water-ground rice cakes, tender chicken feather greens, earthy mushrooms, and savory shredded pork in a clear, aromatic ginger broth.
Hailing from Ningbo, renowned for its premium water-ground rice cakes, this soup is a masterclass in clean, harmonious flavors and contrasting textures. The rice cakes boast a uniquely smooth, tender yet delightfully chewy bite that sets them apart from ordinary varieties. Paired with fresh mushrooms and vibrant greens, it makes for a deeply nourishing and wholesome meal.
Ingredients
- 400 g sliced rice cakes
- 200 g chicken feather greens
- 100 g white button mushrooms
- 100 g shiitake mushrooms
- 100 g shredded pork
- 15 g minced ginger
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- to taste salt
- to taste ground white pepper
- to taste MSG
Instructions
- 1Prepare and arrange the ingredients
Organize all the freshly prepared ingredients on separate plates, including sliced rice cakes, chicken feather greens, white button mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, shredded pork, and minced ginger.
Tip: Make sure all ingredients are sliced evenly to ensure uniform cooking times. - 2Cut the greens
Place the tender chicken feather greens onto a wooden cutting board and chop them into smaller, bite-sized pieces using a sharp kitchen knife.
Tip: Ensure the greens are washed and thoroughly dried before chopping to prevent excess moisture in the soup. - 3Slice the mushrooms
Place the shiitake and white button mushrooms on a wooden cutting board and slice them into uniform pieces using a sharp chefs knife.
Tip: Slice the mushrooms uniformly so they absorb the broth flavors evenly during boiling. - 4Boil the water and add ginger
Bring a wok of water to a rolling boil, then add the freshly minced ginger to infuse the broth with a fragrant base flavor.
Tip: Adding ginger to the boiling water early helps build a clean, aromatic flavor foundation for the soup. - 5Add sliced mushrooms to the wok
Transfer the freshly sliced shiitake and white button mushrooms directly into the boiling ginger water to cook and release their savory depth into the broth.
Tip: Drop the mushrooms in gently to avoid splashing boiling water. - 6Add sliced rice cakes
Add the sliced rice cakes into the simmering mushroom broth, allowing them to cook until they soften, puff slightly, and float to the surface.
Tip: Rice cakes cook very quickly in boiling liquid, so keep a close eye on them so they dont over-soften. - 7Add green vegetables
Add the chopped chicken feather greens (Shanghai greens) into the boiling soup in the wok, followed immediately by the shredded pork.
Tip: Cook the greens quickly for about 15 seconds to keep them tender and vibrant green. - 8Add shredded pork and finish soup
After adding the greens, blanch the shredded pork into the boiling soup. Cook for approximately 15 more seconds, then turn off the heat and remove from the pot, finishing with a drizzle of oil.
Tip: Do not overcook the pork or it will lose its tenderness; 15 seconds in the boiling broth is sufficient.
