I’ve been on a quest to find ways to save on food costs while also adding some fun to our meals, and I think I’ve stumbled upon something really exciting!

What Are Rice Krispies?
Rice Krispies are, at their core, just puffed rice. I’ve always been somewhat intimidated by the idea of puffing my rice. In my mind, I needed large, industrial machines in order to get them to puff up. However, puffed rice is a lot more like popcorn. Both rice grains and popcorn kernels “pop” when heated, and the internal moisture turns to steam. And, just like popcorn, you can “pop” the rice at home!

Types of Rice
Now, the type of rice you use really matters! Let’s take a closer look at two kinds: parboiled rice and plain white rice.

• White Rice: White rice is processed by milling, which removes the outer husk, bran, and germ layers, giving it that nice polished look. While it cooks up soft and fluffy, the initial processing also takes away some of the nutrients originally found in the rice.
• Parboiled Rice: Parboiled rice, on the other hand, goes through a special process where it’s soaked, steamed, and dried before milling. This forces some of the nutrients found in hull into the grains making parboiled rice a healthier choice compared to white rice.

There is also “rice that has been parboiled”, which is slightly different from “parboiled rice.” In order to make “parboiled rice”, you need to have whole grains of rice, with the husk still attached, and put them under an immense amount of heat and pressure. To make “rice that has been parboiled”, you take any variety of rice, and partially boil the rice. You can take any normal rice, and make it “rice that has been parboiled”, but you cannot take normal rice and turn it into “parboiled rice.” Yes, this is needlessly confusing, so I will be only talking about “parboiled rice” in this article.

So, when it comes to puffing rice with heat, parboiled rice is definitely the right option. That soaking and steaming process gives it the moisture that plain white rice just doesn’t have. Also, the kernels themselves are healthier and have a fuller flavour.

How to Heat the Rice
Now, popping corn is usually done by blowing hot air over the kernels, but that doesn’t quite work for rice. Because the moisture level is much lower in rice, you need a sharp and sudden increase in heat. No amount of hot air can deliver the energy required, so we need to look somewhere else.

The only way to make puffed rice is to use some sort of already heated medium. Some people suggest deep-frying the rice in oil, but that makes the rice, you know, coated in oil. A much better method is to use salt or sand as the heated medium, with the added benefit that no material leaches into the rice kernels.

Salt or Sand
Generally, it does not matter which you use, as from a thermodynamics perspective, salt and sand are both just rocks. They’re both small and uniform, so they can surround the rice grains and heat them evenly. I’ve found that regular table salt works incredibly well for this. Plus, because the medium doesn’t actually transfer to the rice, you can store the salt and use it over and over again! The only thing that happens is some light discoloration, which does not matter.

Cost

When purchasing Rice Krispies at the store, the price can range from $0.80 to $1.00 per 100 grams. In comparison, parboiled rice typically costs around $0.25 per 100 grams, with the price varying based on the quantity bought.

In addition to the money saved, the enjoyment of making this at home also adds to their overall value.

Look At this in Action

Here is a fantastic video demonstration of the entire process.

Our Attempt

Here are pictures of our attempt at making Rice Krispies. I have to say it worked perfectly and we will never buy them at the store again. I am also excited about using them as a crushed breading or coating for chicken etc.

The process is incredibly simple. Yes, it requires a bit of juggling at the start to make sure you have a proper set up, but once you’re fully set up it’s a smooth process. I can totally see myself puffing a load of rice while watching TV or Youtube.