Thin rice cakes

3 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
2 cups Rice (white or brown)
6 cups Water
2 teaspoons Salt, to taste
Parchment paper or wax
Paper

Directions

Combine the rice, water, and salt in a large saucepan, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer. Cook for 45 to 60 minutes, until all the water is absorbed and the rice is quite soft.

"Cooked whole grain rice and salt are the only ingredients in these crispy thins. It may take you a couple of tries to perfect the rolling technique. They key to success is to cook the rice in more water and for much longer than you would ordinarily. It should be very soft and mushy. Eat these rice cakes with fruit and cheese, or crack them into soups. 325~ F 45 to 55 minutes Preheat the oven to 325~ F.

Taste the rice and add salt to taste. Stir the rice well with a fork until mushy. Cut six sheets of parchement paper or wax paper the size of your largest baking sheet. (Parchment paper works best.) While the rice is still warm, measure out a third of it, about one cup, into the center of a sheet of the paper. Using your hands, shape the rice into a flat disk.

Place a second sheet of paper over the rice and roll out to about 3/16 inch thick. Keep the thickness as uniform as possible throughout. Carefully peel off the top sheet of paper.

If you are using parchment paper, simply place the rolled rice, bottom sheet of paper and all, on an ungreased baking sheet.

If you are using wax paper, you will need to grease your baking sheet lightly. Then pick up the wax paper and rolled rice and flip it, rice side down, onto the sheet. Then carefully peel the wax paper off the top. The wax paper may stick to the rice, but don't worry if holes form in spots. You are going to crack these crisps up anyway when they cool. Use a metal spatula to loosen the wax paper if necessary.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until crisp. Begin rolling the next 2 crisps while the first is baking. If the edges get done before the centers, gently break them off and allow the rest to continue baking.

Cool the large crisps on racks and break into irregularly shaped individual crackers. Yield: 3 large rice cakes.

VARIATIONS: Add 2 to 3 Tablespoons toasted sesame seeds, or your favorite herbs, to the rice after cooking.

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