Today I have a fun & SUPER easy recipe for one of my favorite childhood snacks- nurungji aka crispy scorched rice chips!
You all should know by now how much I love nurungji, I talk about it all the time (haha) This time I am making a lighter, crispier version of it sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.
One of the things I love most about nurungji is that it is a GLOBAL food! Tons of cultures around the world have their own version of it and I love all of them! A few examples are tahdig (Persian), Concon (Dominican), and Guoba (Chinese).
To celebrate Día de Muertos and honor my late grandfather, Pipo, I am adding a tiny Mexican flair by adding cinnamon to my sugar. It reminds of churros or buñuelos but instead of fried dough, its fried rice chips and much easier to make!
Ingredients
Cooked rice- I recommend using short grain or jasmine rice. Sometimes I crave nurungji but don’t have rice already made, so today I’m using Mahatma® Rice Ready to Heat Rice. It’s ready in just 90 seconds in the microwave and works so well for making nurungji!
Water- adding a little water to the rice helps with spreading it on the pan and making it crisp up without burning it.
Oil for frying- this is an optional step for making nurungji. You can eat it as-is after crisping on the pan, but frying it gives it a different taste & texture. It’s a lighter crisp so its much easier on your teeth. My mom usually makes it like this when she wants to make a sweet treat, and adds sugar to it.
Cinnamon sugar- this is also optional! The addition of cinnamon is my fusion take on it- in honor of Día de Muertos, I am adding a Mexican flair to this traditional Korean snack in remembrance of my late grandfather, Pipo. Think of it as churros but instead of fried dough, it’s rice 🙂
Scorched rice from other countries
If you’re a scorched rice lover like myself, check out these versions from countries around the world! There are so many and they are all very unique.
Tahdig (Iran)
Pegao (Puerto Rico/Colombia)
Concon (Dominican Republic/Colombia)
Kanzo (Gana)
Tutong (Phillipines)
Guoba (China)
Indonesia (Intip)
Hikakeh (Iraq)
Okoge (Japan)
Graten (Haiti)
Raspa/Raspado (Cuba)
Cucayo (Ecuador)
Socarrat (Spain)
Com Chay (Vietnam)
Bun Bun (Jamaica)
I’m sure there are more but these are the ones I am aware of! Feel free to comment below if you don’t see yours here and I will add it 🙂
*This recipe is kindly sponsored by Mahatma® Rice. I carry their products in my kitchen at all times!
Crispy Scorched Rice Chips (Nurungji)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Mahatma® Rice Ready to Heat Rice (cooked rice)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Heat Mahatma® Rice Read to Heat Rice according to package instructions then let it cool completely and mix with 1/4 cup of water. In another bowl, mix together cinnamon and sugar.
- Spread the rice evenly and and thinly as possible on a non-stick pan. No need to use oil! After spreading, cook over medium heat for about 5-10 minutes. You will hear crackling/sizzling noises.
- Shake the pan a few times until the rice loosens from it. Once it is able to slide around easily, you can flip it over using a spatula from underneath and your other hand on top.
- Flip it over once more after a few minutes. Adjust the heat accordingly.
- Cool completely then break the rice into small chips using your hands.
- Fry the rice chips in oil for 1-2 minutes in batches (do not overcrowd)
- Dry on paper towels to collect excess oil, then sprinkle over cinnamon sugar mix. I prefer to do this immediately after drying on paper towels- the sugar sticks better when the rice chips are still hot and have a little oil on them.
