crispy rice crackers
I remember when I first started cooking to share recipes, I had always wanted to make homemade rice crackers, and finally found inspiration on a TikTok by Chef Brandon @sadd_papi who made a rice puff with white rice and red bell pepper. You can also make this out of any leftover congee (rice soup). I dried it in the oven at its lowest temperature setting, though you can also use a dehydrator.
ingredients
1 cup (180g) rice (shortgrain white, brown rice, six-grain rice blend)
4 (1 liter) cups water
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ube extract for coloring, optional
Neutral oil (sunflower seed, rice bran, grapeseed, etc)
method
Rinse and soak rice overnight in a medium-sized pot with 4 cups of water and the rice vinegar
Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and with the lid slightly askew, simmer at a low rolling boil for an hour until the rice is mushy and has reduced by more than half. Let cool before blending.
Blend with a teaspoon of salt and 3/4 tsp ube extract, if using.
Preheat the oven to 170°F (77°C) Spread the mixture evenly on two parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake for 3 hours, peeling it off of the parchment paper and flipping the whole sheet over after an hour and a half in order to dry the other side. Make sure there aren't any soft spots. It should be crisp, and break off with a snap. Break into 4" (10cm) pieces. You can leave them out overnight on a cooling rack to make sure they're completely dry. Then it can be stored in an airtight container for a few months or until ready to use.
Heat up at least 4" (10cm) deep of oil in a deep pan or saucepan to about 340°F (170°C). Gently slide in 2-3 broken pieces of the rice sheets in. They'll quickly puff up after a minute or so. Remove them from the oil and transfer them to a wire rack, or a plate lined with paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Lightly season with salt. Continue to fry in batches to desired amount. This is very tasty with my Smoky Eggplant Dip.
