How Popping Works

• Some popped grains, like popcorn, pop or puff when exposed to hot air. As the moisture inside the kernel heats and begins to steam it forces the outer shell to burst, resulting in popped or puffed kernels. Unlike popcorn, which has a hard outer shell that seals moisture inside the kernel, rice kernels do not store moisture inside them because the outer shell has been removed. This means throwing a handful of dried rice into the popcorn popper and transforming it to delicious puffed rice won’t work. Puffed rice sold in the store is made by subjecting it to intense pressure and then suddenly releasing the pressure -- but that’s not an option at home.

Preparing the Rice

• Dried rice may not be ready for popping right from the bag, but by putting moisture inside the kernel and allowing the outside of the kernel to dry creates the right conditions for popping. This means cooking the rice until it is sticky and allowing it to dry. Spreading the cooked rice out on a lined cookie sheets and drying it on low heat in the oven until the outer edges are crisp gets the rice ready for popping. Alternately, drying cooked rice in a dehydrator, or allowing it to air-dry are effective ways to dry the rice. Remove the rice when just the outer layer is dry and feels crispy to the touch.

Let’s Get Popping

• Frying the cooked and dried rice in hot oil works similar to the process of popping corn. When the moist center of the kernel heats and creates steam, the hard outer shell bursts, creating popped or puffed rice. Draining the puffed rice on paper towels to remove the oil leaves you with light, crispy puffed rice to eat as cereal or to add to desserts. Sprinkling the puffed rice kernels with seasonings, such as garlic or onion powder or a dash of seasoned salt, before it cools turns it into a crisp treat for snacking. Start with the oil on medium heat and adjust as necessary. If the rice browns too quickly, reduce the heat. Your rice should turn golden brown in approximately one minute.

Let’s Make Cake

• While you’re in the mood for making homemade puffed rice, trying your hand at making rice cakes may be worth your effort. Like making puffed rice, these crunchy treats begin with cooked rice. In this case, cook the rice until it is sticky and spread a 1/4-inch layer on parchment paper or another clean surface. Cut the rice cakes into rounds using a biscuit cutter. Allow the rice cakes to dry until free of moisture. Fry them up in bland vegetable oil heated to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Flip the cakes back and forth while cooking to ensure even browning. Rice cakes take approximately one minute to cook in hot oil.