Rice Cake Soup with Pork, Bok Choy, and Shiitake Mushrooms
By Kelly SongPublished on March 5, 2026
Time
40 minutes
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
½ ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, rinsed3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons soy sauce, divided, plus more for serving¼ teaspoon white pepper, plus more for serving1 tablespoon cornstarch 1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed4 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger 2 carrots, peeled and sliced thin on bias4 cups chicken broth 3 heads baby bok choy (4 ounces each), cut into 1-inch pieces12 ounces sliced rice cakes 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Before You Begin
Look for rice cakes that are thinly sliced and oval shaped, not baton shaped. You’ll find sliced rice cakes, refrigerated or frozen, in Asian markets, some supermarkets, or online. If using frozen rice cakes, defrost before cooking.
Instructions
- Microwave 1 cup hot water and ½ ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, rinsed, in covered bowl until steaming, about 1 minute. Let stand until softened, about 15 minutes. Drain mushrooms, pressing to extract all liquid. Discard liquid and slice mushrooms thin; set aside.
- Meanwhile, whisk 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, ¼ teaspoon white pepper, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch together in medium bowl. Slice 1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed, crosswise ¼ inch thick, then cut each slice into ¼-inch-wide strips. Add pork to marinade and stir well to combine.
- Heat remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add thinly sliced whites of 4 scallions and 2 teaspoons grated ginger and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add pork and cook, stirring constantly, until no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and 2 peeled carrots, sliced thin on bias, and stir well to combine.
- Add 4 cups chicken broth and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in 3 heads baby bok choy, cut into 1-inch pieces, and boil until bok choy is bright green and stems are just becoming tender, about 1 minute. Add 12 ounces sliced rice cakes and cook, stirring constantly, until rice cakes are tender but not mushy, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Off heat, stir in 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil and remaining 2 teaspoons soy sauce. Sprinkle with thinly sliced greens of 4 scallions and serve, passing extra white pepper and soy sauce separately.
Time
40 minutesYield
Serves 4Ingredients
½ ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, rinsed
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons soy sauce, divided, plus more for serving
¼ teaspoon white pepper, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed
4 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 carrots, peeled and sliced thin on bias
4 cups chicken broth
3 heads baby bok choy (4 ounces each), cut into 1-inch pieces
12 ounces sliced rice cakes
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Ingredients
½ ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, rinsed
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons soy sauce, divided, plus more for serving
¼ teaspoon white pepper, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed
4 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 carrots, peeled and sliced thin on bias
4 cups chicken broth
3 heads baby bok choy (4 ounces each), cut into 1-inch pieces
12 ounces sliced rice cakes
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Ingredients
½ ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, rinsed
3 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons soy sauce, divided, plus more for serving
¼ teaspoon white pepper, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed
4 scallions, white and green parts separated and sliced thin
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 carrots, peeled and sliced thin on bias
4 cups chicken broth
3 heads baby bok choy (4 ounces each), cut into 1-inch pieces
12 ounces sliced rice cakes
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Why This Recipe Works
In China, rice cake soup, or niangao tang, is a comforting staple that can take a variety of forms. The key ingredients, rice cakes, are thin oval disks made with rice flour that have a pleasant chew that can add heartiness to both soups and stir-fries. In our soup, we begin by marinating strips of thinly sliced pork tenderloin in a mixture of soy sauce, vegetable oil, and cornstarch, then sear the strips in a large saucepan. The oil and cornstarch create a velveting effect, insulating the meat and keeping it tender, while also giving the soup a silkier finish. We saute the aromatics, add chicken broth and the vegetables, and finally the rice cakes, which need only a minute or two of simmering to become tender.
Before You Begin
Look for rice cakes that are thinly sliced and oval shaped, not baton shaped. You’ll find sliced rice cakes, refrigerated or frozen, in Asian markets, some supermarkets, or online. If using frozen rice cakes, defrost before cooking.
Instructions
- Microwave 1 cup hot water and ½ ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, rinsed, in covered bowl until steaming, about 1 minute. Let stand until softened, about 15 minutes. Drain mushrooms, pressing to extract all liquid. Discard liquid and slice mushrooms thin; set aside.
- Meanwhile, whisk 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, ¼ teaspoon white pepper, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch together in medium bowl. Slice 1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed, crosswise ¼ inch thick, then cut each slice into ¼-inch-wide strips. Add pork to marinade and stir well to combine.
- Heat remaining 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add thinly sliced whites of 4 scallions and 2 teaspoons grated ginger and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add pork and cook, stirring constantly, until no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and 2 peeled carrots, sliced thin on bias, and stir well to combine.
- Add 4 cups chicken broth and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in 3 heads baby bok choy, cut into 1-inch pieces, and boil until bok choy is bright green and stems are just becoming tender, about 1 minute. Add 12 ounces sliced rice cakes and cook, stirring constantly, until rice cakes are tender but not mushy, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Off heat, stir in 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil and remaining 2 teaspoons soy sauce. Sprinkle with thinly sliced greens of 4 scallions and serve, passing extra white pepper and soy sauce separately.
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