Rice paper is a thin and strong paper that is used in Asian cooking and various international confection making. It's origin is probably China.
Materials & Ingredients:
- Rice flour
- Water
- Mixing bowl and spoon
- Cheesecloth
- Large stockpot with lid
- Quilting hoop (same diameter as stock pot) or wide-mouth Asian boiling pot
- Spatula
- Rolling pin
- Cooling rack
Method:
- Mix the rice flour and water to make a paste that is smooth and of pouring consistency (somewhat similar to thick glue). Start with 1 cup of rice flour and add water slowly until the desired consistency is acquired.
- Place the cheesecloth in the quilting hoop and tighten it or an Thai or Lao wide mouthed pot and fix the taut cheesecloth to the rim.
- Fill the stockpot half full with water and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat so that the water continues to boil steadily.
- Fit the quilting hoop with the cheesecloth in it over the top of the stockpot.
- Pour some of the rice flour paste on the cheesecloth and spread it into a thin layer with the spatula.
- Cover the stockpot and allow the rice paper to steam above the stockpot for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove the stockpot lid and lift off the quilting hoop. Place the hoop on a cooling rack.
- Roll the steamed rice paper onto the rolling pin to remove it from the quilting hoop and unroll it again onto another cooling rack.
- Allow the rice paper to cool and dry on the cooling rack for 12 hours.
- Repeat steps 4 through 9 to use up all of the rice flour paste.
- The dried rice papers can be stored in a sealed tin or wrapped in moisture proof paper and sealed for later use.
