Chances are you’ve heard of the restaurant, Nobu. It’s a luxury, Japanese-Peruvian restaurant co-founded by its namesake, Chef Nobu Matsuhisa.
One of their more popular items are these crispy, rice (le riz) bites. You have the crunch on the outer part and the softness in the middle. Then they top it with either spicy tuna, salmon and/or avocado. They are bite-size but I wanted to try to make them a little bigger with marinated chicken and broccoli.
Fun fact – this idea came to Chef Nobu because he didn’t like wasting food. At the end of the night when they would have leftover sushi rice, he found a way to make it into these delicious bites. He would save the rice, layer it in a pan, flatten it, and use it the next day. He would cut little squares and fry the mini bites before putting spicy tuna, salmon or avocado on top topped with either soy sauce or spicy mayo and a slice of jalapeno.
Few things I learned in the process – delicious but I understand why they are bite-size. It’s difficult to cut into a large piece of crispy (fried) rice. Eventually I just grabbed it and ate it bite-by-bite with my hands. Thankfully I wasn’t seated at Nobu but instead in my home. Nonetheless, it was delicious but I would recommend making these bite-size.
The process is still the same below but I’d cut the rice block into roughly 2in x 2in pieces. Then top with your favorite protein/veggies. This is one of those appetizers that don’t need to be served the moment you assemble them but if you store them overnight, they may lose some of their crispness. But if you prepare them, top them and put them in the fridge the day-of using, you’ll be just fine. Perfect appetizer bite for any get-together. And they will look gorgeous to present with any topping of your choice.
Can you believe something so beautiful is so easy to make?? No video needed this week but instead some simple instructions below. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
- Rice
- Cooking Oil
Directions:
- Cook rice the day before.
- Good tip for fluffy rice: Boil water, pour in rice, then lower to simmer. Cover the pot and let cook for 15 – 20 minutes. Then turn off heat, remove lid and let sit for 5 minutes. Grab a fork and fluff it up. All the water should be gone. This is what you want – you don’t want soggy rice.
- Use parchment paper or wax paper to line the bottom of a casserole dish. The size depends on how much rice you made. You want the height to be around an inch or slightly less.
- Then cover the top with parchment or wax paper. Use a flat spatula to flatten the tops and make it as even as possible. Put in the fridge and it’s best to make a full day in advance but I’ve also made these 4 hours later.
- After the time has passed, lift up the paper and cut your rice brick into bite-size pieces; roughly 2in x 2in.
- Put cooking in a pan, let get warm and then place your bites in. Toast the top and bottom until they turn light brown.
- Place on a plate with a paper towel to soak up any excess oil. Top with your favorite protein, veggies or get as creative as you want. Make it your own and enjoy.
*If you’re going to use chicken, I’ve learned that marinating the day before is key to moist, flavorful chicken. Use your favorite seasonings, sauces and toss in a large plastic bag. Close up the bag and rub all over the chicken and rest for up to 24 hours before using.*
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