Rice baskets turn a simple ingredient into something original and captivating. They are perfect for being stuffed in a thousand different ways and presented as an appetizer or cold buffet. They are practical to serve and enjoy.
And preparing them without baking is simpler than you think!
Just boil the rice, shape it in molds, and let it cool. Once the cooked rice cools and sets in the molds, its natural consistency becomes firmer and maintains its shape to be formed and filled as desired.
This technique takes advantage of the gelatinization of the rice starch that cools and creates a stable structure, similar to what happens in recipes where rice is pressed into molds before baking, but here you completely avoid the baking or browning phase.
Creating baskets with rice offers room for creativity: you can play with different types of rice, colors, flavors, and combinations.
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- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 8 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients for rice baskets
- 7 oz sushi rice
- 1 1/4 cups water
- to taste fine salt
Tools
- 1 Pot
- 1 Muffin Mold
Steps for preparing rice baskets
To prepare the rice baskets, pour the sushi rice into a small pot with water without rinsing it. The rice/water ratio is usually written on the package. Stir once from cold, then cook covered on high heat until boiling, salt, and continue cooking covered on low heat for the minutes indicated on the package, about 12.
After cooking, the rice will have absorbed all the water. Put a generous spoonful while hot in the muffin molds . It’s ideal to use silicone muffin molds as silicone makes unmolding easier; metal molds give sharper edges but require film or need to be greased. Press with the back of a spoon to compact the rice to the edges, forming the “basket” with a central hollow for the filling. The more you press, the more compact the basket will be once cold. To achieve even edges, use wet hands or the base of a spoon.
Let cool at room temperature for 15-30 minutes then transfer to the fridge for at least 1-2 hours (or even more). Prolonged cooling increases the retrogradation of the starch and makes the baskets more stable. For quick firming, you can also put them in the freezer for 20-30 minutes (do not freeze)
When well chilled, unmold the baskets gently.
Plate and fill as desired.
Storage and Tips
The muffin baskets can be kept for up to three days in an airtight container in the fridge. Do not freeze.
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FAQ (Questions and Answers)
How can I fill them?
Cold finger-food version: rice seasoned with lemon, diced cucumber, smoked salmon, avocado, and sushi style
Sweet: rice cooked with milk and sugar (like rizogallo), pressed and cooled, filled with cream and fruit.
Veg: rice with chickpea puree and crunchy vegetables as filling
