Pounded Rice Cakes with Sweet Miso & Walnut Sauce

Ingredients

• 350 g cooked Short Grain Rice
• *Note: 1 cup (180ml) Uncooked Rice will be about 350g when cooked
• 1 pinch Salt *optional
• Oil for cooking *I used Sesame Oil
• 3-4 pieces (10 g) Roasted Walnuts
• 1 tablespoon Sugar
• 1 tablespoon Miso *dark colour type recommended
• 1 tablespoon Sake (Rice Wine) OR Water
• Soy Sauce *optional
• *Note: A small amount of grated Ginger, ground Chilli, finely chopped Spring Onion OR Toasted Sesame Seeds can be added

Steps

1. To make Sweet Miso & Walnut Sauce, grind Roasted Walnuts finely until moist and slightly oily. I used a ‘Suribachi’ and ‘Surikogi’ (Japanese Mortar and Wooden Pestle). You can use a plastic bag and a rolling pin. Add all other ingredients, and mix well. *Note: If extra saltiness is required, add a small amount of Soy Saucer.
2. Cooked Rice must be hot, soft and moist. If you use cold leftover Cooked Rice, sprinkle some Water, cover with a plate, and microwave until hot.
3. Sprinkle 1 pinch Salt, and use a pestle OR a large spoon to pound the hot Rice, wetting the pounding tool with Water occasionally, until the texture is rubbery like Mochi. It doesn’t have to be smooth.
4. Wet your hands with Water, divide into 6 portions, and roll them into round and flat cakes. Heat a frying pan, non-stick preferred, over medium heat, lightly oil it, and cook the rice cakes until both sides are lightly browned and crunchy. Transfer to a plate.
5. Now the frying pan is still hot. Pour the Sweet Miso & Walnut Sauce into the pan and cook for 1 minute using a spatula. (Cook over low heat if necessary.) This cooking process makes the Miso Sauce extra tasty. Spread the Sauce over the rice cakes. *Note: I sprinkled with some Sesame Seeds.
6. *Note: If you grill the Rice Cakes covered with the Sauce, they would taste even better.