Description

Crispy Golden Rice Squares are a delightful way to transform simple sushi rice into a crunchy, savory snack or appetizer. After cooking and seasoning the rice with a sweet and tangy vinegar mixture, the rice is chilled to set, then pan-fried to golden perfection, creating crispy edges with a tender center. Perfect for serving with your favorite toppings or dipping sauces, these squares offer a satisfying texture and subtle flavor that’s both comforting and versatile.

Ingredients

Scale

Rice and Seasoning

2 cups short‑grain (sushi) rice
2½ cups water
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
½ tsp salt

Frying

2 tbsp neutral oil (such as avocado or vegetable oil)

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Instructions

Rinse the Rice: Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch, ensuring a clean and non-sticky texture after cooking.
Cook the Rice: In a saucepan, combine the rinsed rice with 2½ cups of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes or until the water is fully absorbed.
Rest the Rice: Remove the saucepan from heat and let the rice sit covered for another 10 minutes to finish steaming and to achieve a tender texture.
Prepare Vinegar Mixture: In a small bowl, stir together rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until the sugar and salt are fully dissolved, creating a flavorful seasoning blend.
Season the Rice: Gently fold the vinegar mixture into the cooked rice, ensuring even distribution without breaking the grains.
Shape the Rice: Transfer the seasoned rice to a shallow pan, pressing it into an even layer about 1 inch thick to form a compact block.
Chill the Rice: Cover the rice block with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, allowing it to firm up for easier cutting and frying.
Cut into Squares: Remove the chilled rice block from the pan and cut it into squares or rectangles of your preferred size for frying.
Heat the Oil: Heat 2 tablespoons of neutral oil in a non-stick or cast-iron skillet over medium heat until shimmering and ready for frying.
Fry the Rice Squares: Fry the rice squares for 3–4 minutes per side until they develop a golden, crispy crust. Avoid overcrowding the pan to ensure even cooking.
Drain and Serve: Transfer the fried rice squares to paper towels to drain excess oil. Serve warm with your favorite toppings or dipping sauces.

Notes

Using short-grain sushi rice is essential as it becomes sticky and holds together well for shaping and frying.
Chilling the rice block is crucial to make it firm enough for cutting and frying without falling apart.
Adjust the thickness of the rice layer based on your preferred texture; thinner layers will be crispier, thicker layers softer inside.
You can add toppings like sesame seeds, chopped scallions, or drizzle soy sauce or spicy mayo for added flavor.
If avoiding frying, you can also bake the squares at 400°F (200°C) until crisp, flipping once for even browning.