• Cooked Thai sticky rice, any amount

Shape Thai sticky rice into a flat disk about 2 inches across so that they are firmly stuck together, but don’t mash them. Be sure to press your risk disks together firmly; otherwise they will fall apart when you fry them. Spread the rice cakes out on a baking dish or plate; cover loosely with a cloth and let dry for at least 2 to 3 days. The dried rice cakes can be stored for months.

To cook the rice cakes, add enough peanut oil to fill a heavy high-sided pot to 1 1/2 inches. Heat peanut oil to over medium-high heat (about 350 F). To test the temperature, toss in a small piece of the sticky rice; if the oil bubbles around it, then it is ready. Add the rice disks one or two at a time; leave lots of room in the pot since the rice cakes will puff up considerably as they cook. The rice will sink at first and then puff up and rise about 30 seconds later. Turn them over, and cook for a total of a minute or two, until puffed on all sides. Drain using a spider or fish them out using chopsticks, and place either on a drying rack with paper towels underneath or on a paper towel lined plate. Sprinkle immediately with some salt. Repeat with the remaining rice crackers. (Shown in the picture above, sprinkled with aonori.)

* You can use leftovers from white Thai sticky rice or purple sticky rice.