Buzz
If you enjoy the crispy, airy texture of puffed rice, here's how you can easily make it at home. To achieve the perfect crunch, cook your favorite rice until it's soft and tender. Then, dry the rice out and fry it in hot oil until the grains puff up. For smaller and denser puffed rice, skip the cooking step and just fry the raw rice grains until they expand.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200g) rice
- 1 and ¾ cups (410ml) water
- 1-2 pinches of sea salt
- Sunflower oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil for frying
Yield: approximately 3 cups (75g) of puffed rice
Steps
Cook the Rice
Rinse the rice you’ve chosen. Place 1 cup (200g) of rice in a bowl and add cold water. Gently rub the rice with your hands and then pour it through a fine strainer to filter out any excess starch. Add fresh water and continue rinsing the rice until the water runs clear. This will reduce the starch, preventing the rice from sticking together during cooking.
- You can use any type of rice, such as basmati, sushi, brown rice, or long-grain rice.
Bring the water to a boil and add the rice with salt. Pour 410ml of water into a pot and cover it. Bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add 1-2 pinches of sea salt along with the rinsed rice.
Alternative Method: To cook rice in a rice cooker, add the rinsed rice, salt, and water into the inner pot of the rice cooker. Close the lid and switch the cooker on. Cook the rice following the manufacturer's instructions.
Wait until the rice is fully cooked. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low, allowing the water to simmer gently. Continue cooking on low heat until the rice grains are soft. Check after 18 minutes.
- Cooking time will vary depending on the type of rice. For example, wild rice may take 25-30 minutes, while short-grain rice cooks faster.
Spread the rice on a baking tray. Transfer the freshly cooked rice onto a baking tray. Use a spoon or a spatula to evenly spread the rice into a flat layer.
- The rice will dry more evenly and quickly on the tray compared to placing it in a bowl.
Dry the rice in the oven at 120°C for about 2 hours. Preheat the oven, and once it's reached the desired temperature, place the tray of rice inside. Bake the rice at a low temperature for around 2 hours to remove the moisture. Once the rice is dry, remove the tray from the oven and turn off the heat.
- The rice must be completely dry and firm before frying.
- If you prefer a more hands-off method, you can spread the rice on a food dehydrator tray. Place the rice into the dehydrator and dry it for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- You can also leave the rice in the oven if you're making puffed rice for cereals.
Fry the rice
Pour oil into the pot and heat it to 190°C. Add sunflower oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil to the pot, about 5 cm deep, and place the pot on the stove. Attach a kitchen thermometer to the pot and heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 190°C.
- It’s essential to use an oil that can withstand high temperatures. This is why you should avoid using extra virgin olive oil.
Tip: Use a pot large enough to fit a fine mesh strainer. This will make it easier to remove the puffed rice from the oil.
Test the oil temperature by adding a few rice grains. Once the oil reaches 190°C, drop a few dry rice grains into the pot. The grains will puff up immediately if the oil is hot enough.
- If the rice only puffs up after 10-15 seconds, the oil needs more time to heat. Use a kitchen thermometer to check the oil's exact temperature.
Fry the rice for about 5-10 seconds. Pour the dry rice into a fine mesh strainer and lower it into the hot oil. The rice will start to puff up after about 5-10 seconds in the oil.
- The puffed rice will float on top of the oil.
- If using dry rice grains, you may need to wait around 20 seconds for the rice to puff up.
Remove the puffed rice from the oil and place it on a baking tray. Turn off the heat and line a baking tray with paper towels. Carefully lift the strainer with the puffed rice out of the oil and pour the rice onto the paper towels.
- The paper towels will absorb any excess oil from the puffed rice.
- Let the oil in the pot cool completely before disposing of or storing it.
Let the puffed rice cool and enjoy. Wait at least 5 minutes for the puffed rice to cool before adding seasonings and enjoying. For seasonings, you can sprinkle salt, powdered sugar, or cinnamon sugar over the puffed rice according to your preference.
- You can eat the puffed rice right away or use it to make puffed rice cakes.
- Store any leftover puffed rice, including the puffed rice cakes, in an airtight container at room temperature. Consume within 5-7 days.
Tips
- Sprinkle some puffed rice on top of your favorite salad, or mix it with a blend of nuts and granola for a tasty treat.
Warning
- Always be cautious when heating oil and roasting food. Hot oil can splatter and cause burns.
Things You'll Need
- Bowls
- Small mesh strainer
- Baking tray
- Spoon or dough scraper
- Measuring cup
- Covered pot or rice cooker
- Kitchen thermometer
