Puffed Rice

Puffed Rice

　　Puffed Rice  

　　Puffed rice, also known as harvested puffed rice, is an essential New Year food item in every household. The process of making it is:

　　Glutinous or non-glutinous rice is cooked and sun-dried into rice flakes, which are then mixed with sand and heated in an iron wok to be popped. Some use tea oil for frying, producing what is called fried puffed rice. Next, brown sugar is boiled into syrup, and the popped rice, along with ingredients such as peanuts and sesame seeds, is stirred into the syrup. The mixture is then scooped out and placed onto a wooden rack to be pressed flat. After it solidifies, it is cut into rectangular pieces. The puffed rice tastes sweet and crispy, and is loved by both adults and children as a New Year treat. Making puffed rice requires great skill—not only must the ingredients be proportioned correctly, but the timing of boiling the syrup must also be precisely controlled. If not done properly, the mixture will not set into blocks but instead become loose, inedible rice grains. Generally, one dou (a traditional unit of volume) of puffed rice requires 2.5 sima jin (an old weight unit) of brown sugar—only a bit more, never less—and the timing (“heat control”) is especially crucial. Experienced makers place a bowl of clear water next to the stove; when the sugar syrup reaches a certain stage and begins to thicken, they drop a bit of it into the water. If it forms “pine nut-sized dots,” it’s ready. The heat under the wok is immediately turned off, and the puffed rice is added while continuously stirring. By touching the rice, one can tell if it's ready—if it sticks noticeably to the hands, it's time to remove it from the wok. The rice is then poured into a wooden frame, spread flat, and pressed until firm. Once hardened, it is cut into small pieces.