Roasted Rice Cake

Ingredients

• For the roasted onions:
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1 medium white onion, thinly sliced
• Kosher salt
• For the korean red dragon sauce:
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup ssamjang
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon sherry vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• For the roasted rice cakes:
• 1/4 cup mirin
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 pound rice cake sticks
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• 2 scallions, ends trimmed, green parts thinly sliced

Directions

1. Warm the oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until it just begins to smoke. Add the onions and cook, stirring now and then, until they start to take on color, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt, lower the heat to medium-low, and keep cooking, stirring occasionally, until the onions are deeply caramelized, about 30 minutes more. Turn the heat up or down as needed so they brown without scorching, then scrape them into a bowl.
2. While the onions cook, prepare the dragon sauce. Put the water and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Stir the whole time until the sugar has dissolved, then take the pan off the heat. Cool for 1 minute, then whisk in the ssamjang until smooth. Stir in the soy sauce, sherry vinegar, and sesame oil.
3. To make the rice cakes, add the mirin and broth to a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring them to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to medium-high and cook until the liquid has thickened slightly, about 2 minutes. Stir in the red dragon sauce, reduce the heat to medium, and cook until the sauce is shiny and thick, about 6 minutes. Add the roasted onions and mix everything together well.
4. While that is happening, wipe out the iron skillet and set it back on the stove. Add 2 tablespoons canola oil and heat it over medium-high until it is just beginning to smoke. Add the rice cakes, then lower the heat to medium. Cook until they are lightly browned on every side, about 3 minutes per side.
5. Toss the rice cakes in the sauce. Finish with sesame seeds and scallions.