Add Salt And Sugar To Crispy Rice For The Well-Rounded Flavor It Deserves

Crispy rice has the potential to become your next snack fixation. This simple nibble became popular earlier this year, with TikTokers making crispy rice in a waffle maker, often pairing it with tuna tartare. But what is crispy rice? Don't confuse it with Rice Krispies, because those certainly would not taste good with tuna. Crispy rice is rice that is packed into a rectangle and pan-fried to perfection. It has the crunchy texture of any fried food, but maintains a pillowy rice interior. Eating just one is never enough.

In order to make the perfect crispy rice snack, there are a few requirements. To accomplish its rectangular shape, opt for short-grain sushi rice — this will help the rice stick together. Then, pack all the rice into a large thin rectangle and refrigerate this mass. This step will make cutting smaller rice rectangles easy. These rice rectangles transform into crispy rice once they are pan-fried. Although we love rice on its own, this snack gets a whole lot better with just a little seasoning. A sprinkle of sugar and a hint of salt (this could be from soy sauce, rice vinegar, or salt flakes) takes plain-tasting rice to sweet and salty levels of flavor. By giving crispy rice this well-rounded flavor, it becomes even better to enjoy on its own.

Eating crispy rice on its own (with a bit of sweet and salty seasoning) is great, but these small bites also make a perfect base for a more complicated snack or meal. For instance, the easiest way to upgrade your crispy rice is to make a flavor-packed sauce to accompany it. Try brushing each crispy rice bar with a bit of soy sauce glaze, or prepare a small bowl of spicy sriracha mayo on the side. This take on chips and dip makes for a great appetizer for your next house party.

To turn your sweet and salty crispy rice bars into a balanced meal, mix up a batch of tuna, either canned or raw, to scoop atop each crispy rice piece. These are easily garnished with any veggies from the kitchen, like cucumber, green onions, or sliced avocado. Just a few tuna-crispy rice bars make for a filling lunch — they're packed with savory fish and fresh veggies and are finished with a satisfying rice crunch.