Why Japanese Crispy Rice Snacks (Okoge) is Better than Thai Crispy Rice Cracker?

Japanese Crispy Rice Snacks

What is a Japanese crispy rice snack?

Japanese crispy rice snack is delicious and addictive. Let the rice crisp on the pan for this twist on fried rice that is full of crunchy texture and flavor. The best Japanese crispy rice snack had has crunchy bits of rice throughout. Those little bits have a nutty, toasty flavor and add great texture snack.


Are Japanese rice crispy snacks bad for you?

Crisp rice snacks no harmful chemicals, no fattening additives and are a healthy snack any day of the week. It is a healthy, wholesome and delicious snack for kids and adults.

Japanese Crispy Rice Snacks (Okoge, お焦げ) vs. Thai Crispy Rice Cracker (Khao tang na tang, ขนมนางเล็ด ข้าวแต๋น)

a) Japanese crispy rice snack is easier to make because you do not need to dry the rice patties. Thai crispy rice cracker will be difficult to make in winter, you do not have food dehydrator or you live in Seattle. For khao tang na tang, it will take you two days to make.

b) Okoge is more on the savory side than sweet. It is yummier compared to Thai rice cracker. The Japanese soy sauce used is loaded with natural umami flavor.

c) Japanese crispy rice snacks only need two ingredients.

d) Okoge is a versatile dish. It can be a snack or you can pair it to a dinner stew or soup.

e) Japanese crispy rice is less oily because the moist rice absorbed less oil. Khao tang na tang absorbed more oil inside the rice seed.

f) Thai crispy rice cracker have higher glycemic index compared to Japanese Crispy Rice Snacks.

Thai Crispy Rice Cracker (Khao tang na tang, ขนมนางเล็ด ข้าวแต๋น)

g) You can use okoge as an alternative to burger bread. You can make a healthy burger using the rice snacks as the bun. McDonald’s has been using it in their burger in Japan.

McDonald Japan Rice Hamburger Credit: McDonald Japan

h) If you like hash brown, okoge is like has hash brown rice.

i) If you do not like fried food, you can use the oven toaster or charcoal grill it instead of frying the okoge.

j) Okoge is more filling and you do not get hungry easily if you tried it.

JAPANESE CRISPY RICE SNACKS RECIPE (Okoge)

Okoge お焦げ

Makes about 16 patties

INGREDIENTS:

White Rice (refer to easy white rice recipe below)

Coconut oil, for frying (or any oil you prefer)

¼ cup (65 ml) Japanese soy sauce


Equipment:

Baking sheets

pastry brush

¼-cup (65-ml) measure


COOKING PROCEDURE:

1) Drop ¼ cup (40 g) of the hot, just-cooked rice onto a wax paper–lined baking sheet.

2) Using damp hands gently press the rice to form a thin round or oval patty (about 2 to 4 inches/5 to 10 cm long and between ¼ and ½ inch/6 mm and 1.25 cm thick). If the rice feels particularly sticky to you, form the patties between two sheets of wax paper.

3) Repeat with the remaining rice to form approximately 16 patties.

4) Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours, or until set. (The patty should be firm enough to be easily picked up and retain its shape.)

5) Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat—enough oil to pool slightly around the patties. Fry the chilled patties in batches so as not to crowd the pan (about 3 to 4 patties per batch), and cook until crisped and lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side.

Make sure the patties have crisped up nicely before removing them from the pan; otherwise, they will not hold up well once glazed with the soy sauce, falling apart when handled.

Watch Youtube video: Frying Japanese crispy rice snacks


6) Transfer the patties to a paper towel–lined baking sheet to drain. Lightly brush the tops with the soy sauce.

7) Repeat with remaining patties, refreshing the oil between batches. Best if served warm.


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JAPANESE RICE CRISPY RICE COOKING TIPS

Take the amount of oil called for in this recipe freely. The amount needed for each batch varies on the size of the pan and the number of patties being cooked. The larger the pan and the more patties being cooked at one time, the more oil that is needed to properly crisp the rice.

For a 10-inch (25-cm) skillet, use 2 tablespoons oil and fry 3 to 4 rice patties per batch. (Fry just 3 patties at a time if you want the rice to be extra-crispy.)

The rice will crisp much quicker than it will brown in the oil. Most of the caramel color on the okoge comes from the Japanese soy sauce glaze rather than browning.

Why are my crispy rice snacks not sticking together?

This is due to too much moisture.

How do you make Japanese rice crispy snack not soggy?

Do not set the heat on the stovetop too high. High heat is the prime culprit for rock hard rice crispy snacks.

How long do Japanese rice crispy snack last?

After cooking rice crispy snack, stack up the leftovers in an airtight container. Place a sheet of wax paper in between each layer to keep them from sticking, and then seal the top.

You can store the container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze the rice crispy snack for up to 6 weeks.

How do you make crispy rice snacks (Okoge) crispy again?

Place the stale crispy rice snacks along the edge of the oven toaster. Warm them up enough with the oven toaster or microwave oven. Then cool them off. This is the most important process to getting the crispy rice snacks “crispyness” back.


Try Other Japanese Easy Recipe:

Japanese Green Tea Creme Brulee Recipe- Matcha Crème Brûlée Kyotofu

How to Make a Raindrop Cake- Mizu Shingen Mochi Recipe

Artificial Ikura- Artificial Salmon Eggs (Roe)- Molecular Gastronomy Recipes

HOW TO COOK RICE IN A POT? - WITHOUT RICE COOKER

Makes 4 cups (700 g) cooked rice

INGREDIENTS:

2½ cups (625 ml) water

2 cups (440 g) short-grain white “sushi” rice, washed and drained

Equipment:

4-quart (3.75-liter) pot with tight-fitting lid


COOKING PROCEDURE:

1) Combine the water and rice in a 4-quart (3.75-liter) in your favorite pot.

2) Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cover tightly, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes, or until the rice is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed.

3) Turn off the heat and let rest, with the cover still on, 10 minutes more.

4) Fluff the rice and serve.

TIPS ON HOW TO COOK RICE IN A POT (STOVE TOP)

Learn quick steps on how to cook the perfect rice without a rice cooker. There are some tips and tricks to know, but once you know them, you will cook perfect rice every time and in an instant.

Washing your sushi rice is necessary for the best-tasting results.  The starchy particulate left over from the milling process can cause rice to become mushy, or can even make it bubble up and overflow.  Follow these easy steps for delicious rice, every time.

1) Wash off the powdery starch on the rice before using. Place the rice in a container and cover with tap water. Use the same pot you will be cooking the rice in.

Mix the rice with your hands. Be careful not to break the rice. Cover the rice with sufficient amount of water so the rice seeds are not grinding against each other during washing.

2) Carefully drain off the water and repeat. The water will start out very white or milky. Continue to wash and drain until the water is clear enough to see clearly grains of rice—usually 3 to 5 times.

The general water-to-rice ratio is 2½ cups (625 ml) water to 2 cups (440 g) uncooked rice. Two cups of uncooked rice should yield about four cups of cooked rice.



REFERENCES:

Henry Wilson. 2019. Easy Recipes for Rice: Best Cookbook for Quick Healthy Rice Meals. Rice Cooking Recipes and Rice Cooking Instructions (170+ Cooking Rice Recipes for Any Taste). Independently published. ISBN-13: 978-1795320283


Sarah Marx Feldner (Author), Noboru Murata (Photographer). 2014. A Cook's Journey to Japan: 100 Homestyle Recipes from Japanese Kitchens. Tuttle Publishing, ISBN-10: 480531298X

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