Does anybody kmow if it is possible to make puffed rice at home?

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), January 03, 2000

Answers

This is not going to be the cereal like substance you are probably thinking of, but in a chinese recipe for sizzling rice soup, the rice is deep fried and puffs up! Maybe you could try improvising from there...popping like popcorn? Good luck Sue

-- Sue Landress (Sulandherb@aol.com), January 03, 2000.

I'm afraid that other than popcorn, puffed grains such as you buy as breakfast cereal in the grocery store are not doable in a home setting.

Basically the process calls for cooking, partially drying and then explosively decompressing the grain causing the still softened starch in the kernel to puff up and then harden as the moisture rapidly evaporates. This is somewhat akin to snatching the lid off of a pressure cooker when the pressure is still up (don't do that, it's dangerous).

Popcorn is a natural puffed grain that is possible by virtue of it's thick hull. The small amount of water in the grain vaporizes and the resulting steam pressure rises until the hull can no longer contain it and bursts. The sudden decompression causes the grain starch to expand and the water vapor rapidly dissipates, leaving behind the puffed grain kernel.

..........Alan.

The Providence Cooperative - A great source of preparedness information.

http://www.providenceco-op.com

-- A.T. Hagan (athagan@netscape.net), January 04, 2000.