Rice balls are yumfully delicious no matter where you are in the world! In Italy they are traditionally made with arborio or carnaroli rice, stuffed with meat and deepfried. Mexican, South American and Caribbean versions may be filled with spicy pepper and cheese mixes. Asian countries favor glutinous rice or rice flour balls hiding a sweet or savory paste, sometimes whimsically colored and flavored. Often they will be tied to holidays like today's Dongzhi Festival, when Tang Yuan are shared to celebrate the Winter Solstice. Tang Yuan are so hard to resist...one minute your bowl is overflowing, then *poof!* they've disappeared! Don't worry...once you learn the basics, you can whip more up anytime, but get to know your rice before you start rolling! :)
• Glutinous rice is a very sticky, short-grain rice that is often used in Asian dishes.
• Glutinous rice is also known as sticky rice, sushi rice, sweet rice, waxy rice, mochi rice or pearl rice.
• One cup dried rice yields two cups cooked rice.
• Despite its name, this rice isn't sweet and it doesn't contain gluten.
• White or black varieties work best...brown short-grain rice isn't as sticky.
(Source)
Susanna has a crazyfabulous blog...you will get lost here for hours in all her munchable marvelousness! She's creative and funny and supersweet too, plus she rolls some rockin' balls! :)
Stick to the sticky stuff...
White Sticky Rice from Temple of Thai
Black (Purple) Sticky Rice from Temple of Thai
Organic Jade Pearl Rice from Lotus Foods
Black Pearl Rice from Lundberg
Organic Sushi Rice from Lundberg
Sweet Brown Rice from Bob's Red Mill
Sweet White Rice from Bob's Red Mill
Sweet White Rice Flour from Bob's Red Mill
Sticky Rice Flour from Temple of Thai
White Arborio Rice from Lundberg
Organic Carnaroli Rice from Lotus Foods
How do you roll your sticky rice? Have you tried Tang Yuan? What's your favorite filling? :)
Check out the rest of our 2014 Daily Food Holiday and Featured Blogger Series!
.jpeg)
