Fire Flakes from Avatar: The Last Airbender
Explore the Fire Nation's culinary secrets with this crispy spiced rice, a snack that's as adventurous as it is flavorful.
Equipment
- sieve
Ingredients
- 1 cup jasmine rice washed, uncooked
- 1 ½ cup water
- 4 cups peanut oil or fry oil of choice
- 4 tablespoons Korean chili flakes
- 4 tablespoons chili flakes or Tajin
- 4 tablespoons black sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons fine sea salt
Instructions
- Wash the rice in a large bowl with warm water until the water runs clear. This can take up to 15-20 minutes of washing.
- Cook the rice according to the instructions on the packaging.
- Preheat the oven to 145°F. Spread the cooked rice in as even a layer as you can on a nonstick baking sheet - it's okay if the rice is lumpy.
- Bake the rice until completely dehydrated, about 8-10 hours. The rice should be hard and crispy.
- Use the back of a wooden spoon to crush the rice into individual grains as best you can - it's okay if there are some small clumps, but the chunks should be smaller than a watermelon seed to cook properly.
- Once the rice is completely dehydrated, heat the oil in a wok to 425°F - 450°F. Prepare a large baking sheet with paper towels. Have a sieve handy.
- Working in small batches no bigger than the head of the sieve, fry the rice about 1/4 cup at a time for 3-6 seconds. Quickly remove the rice from the hot oil to prevent it from overcooking. Overcooking the rice will cause it to return to a hard state - it should be light and crispy.
- Transfer the cooked rice to the baking sheet lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil.
- Place the puffed rice into a large bowl and season generously with salt, Korean chili flakes, chili flakes or Tajin, and black sesame seeds. Toss gently to combine. Serve while still warm. Enjoy!
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