Rice cracker

A rice cracker is an East Asian cracker made from rice flour. Rice crackers are fried or baked and often puffed and/or brushed with soy sauce or vinegar to create a smooth texture.

Rice crackers are often eaten as part of trail mixes along with other ingredients such as wasabi peas, nuts, dried and salted edamame, and sesame sticks. Some may also be wrapped in seaweed.

In addition to in trail mixes or by themselves, they are traditionally served with green tea, alcoholic beverages, and/or as a side to be eaten with soup or salad.

Rice crackers, assorted varieties

History

Rice crackers are thought to have originated during China's Han dynasty (c. 202 BC). Later, during the Tang dynasty, there are records of senbei being served to houseguests as a token of courtesy. In Japan, they were popularized during the Edo period. The Japanese Soka senbei (made in Soka City, Saitama Prefecture) is widely considered to be the first modern rice cracker.

Types

Rice crackers come in many varieties and shapes. Some of the most popular are listed below.

Japan

• Beika (米菓), a dry Japanese confectionery made from rice
  • Arare (food) (あられ), a stone-shaped, bite-sized Japanese rice cracker
    • Oriibu no hana ('olive flower')
  • Senbei (せんべい), a flat disk-shaped, palm-sized cracker traditionally eaten with green tea
    • Shoyu senbei, brushed with soy sauce
    • Nori senbei, toasted and wrapped in dried sushi nori
    • Kuro goma senbei, a nutty cracker speckled with black sesame seeds
    • Togarashi senbei, a spicy cracker coated in red chili powder and flakes
    • Ika senbei, or Ika sen, baked with grilled squid
    • Ebi senbei, or Ebi sen, baked with minced shrimp
  • Kaki no tane, small, seasoned crescent-shape snacks that bare a resemblance to peanuts

Indonesia

• Rengginang, a thick cracker made from sticky rice granules

See also

• Puffed grain
  • Puffed rice
• Rice flour