Palm Sugar Puffed Rice

Every time I had leftover rice, I never really knew what to do with them. For steamed rice (or sometimes called Jasmin rice), I usually stir-fried them with ham or eggs. But with sticky rice(sometimes called sweet rice), I just threw them out.

My mom recently retired and moved in with me and my family. One day I saw her playing with the leftover sticky rice. She broke them into little clusters then set them out to dry in the sun. She told me to deep fried them. I did. Oh boy, they were delicious.

Then I remember this simple and delicious snack I had when I was a little girl. They were crispy rice with something sweet on top. My mom mentioned coconut milk with something, something, and it darned on me that I had palm sugar in the pantry. I decided to make a thick simple syrup to drizzle over the puffed rice. Wow, what a combo! They tasted great and very addicting. Definitely a movie snack. And a big approval from my mom.

If you don't have any dried cooked rice, try drizzle the syrup over the puffed cereal like Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice. They don't form into small clusters and may not have that fried crispy texture, but they are still pretty delicious. Click here for instruction on how to make puffed rice.

Remember to make only the amount you want to eat as these puffed rice stay crispy for only two to three days.

Palm Sugar Puffed Rice
inspired by my mom's recipe
make 1 cup

24 oz safflower or vegetable oil
1/2 cup dried cooked rice
1/2 cup (4 oz) palm sugar
2 Tablespoons water

1. In a fry pan or saucepan, heat the oil to 350°F.
2. Drop a handful of dried cooked rice and deep fried until they puff up, about 1 to 2 minutes, depending on the clusters.
3. Transfer them onto a dish towel to drain. Then transfer them to a plate.
4. In a small saucepan, melt together palm sugar and water until it has the consistency of a thick syrup. Note: For every 1/4 cup of palm sugar, add 1 tablespoon of water. Double or triple this recipe as needed.
5. Drizzle the syrup over the puffed rice.
6. Enjoy them right away or store the leftover in the air tight container.

Allergy Info: These palm sugar puffed rice is free from dairy, eggs, corn, legumes (soy), nuts, wheat, and fish.

Here's a story about rice. They can be enriched and you betcha if they do, they probably have something corn in it. I buy a big 25 pound bag of rice at the Asian markets. Look for a bag with just a type of rice written on the bag such as Jasmine Rice or Sweet Rice. It should not have the word "enriched" on the bag. If you do buy rice from the American groceries stores like Walmart, be sure to call the company and ask how their rice are processed. Companies are not required to list how they process their products. If you are super sensitive to corn or soy, ask about their packaging as well.