Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to high broil. Wash and dry produce.

Halve, peel, and dice onion into ½-inch pieces. Peel and mince garlic. Trim and discard root end from lettuce; dry thoroughly, then halve lengthwise and thinly slice crosswise into shreds. Dice tomato into ½-inch pieces.

Set aside ¾ cup water (1½ cups for 4 servings) for Step 4.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large, preferably ovenproof, pan over medium-high heat. Add beef*, onion, and garlic and cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until beef is cooked through and onion begins to soften, 4-6 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper.

Add Fry Seasoning and Vidalia onion paste to pan with beef mixture. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30-60 seconds.

Add rice cakes, reserved water, and cream cheese to pan. Stir to combine until cream cheese is incorporated.

Cook, stirring frequently, until rice cakes are tender and sauce has thickened, 3-4 minutes. TIP: If sauce is thickening too quickly before rice cakes are cooked, reduce heat to medium, adding a splash of water if needed.

Turn off heat.

Add half the mozzarella to pan; stir to combine. (If your pan isn’t ovenproof, transfer mixture to a baking dish now.)

Sprinkle remaining mozzarella over top. Transfer to middle rack of oven and broil until cheese is melted and lightly browned, 1-2 minutes.

Drizzle ketchup and gochujang aioli to taste over top of skillet. Sprinkle with lettuce and tomato. Serve family style directly from pan.