Bubble rice/puffed rice is tossed with meat floss, peanuts, sesame seeds and shaped into bars. They make the perfect snack and are one of the popular Chinese New Year goodies.
Bee pang or also known as mi chang in Chinese is one of my favorite childhood snacks. I remember saving up my weekly school allowance to treat myself to these bubble rice crackers at the end of the week. Back then, the one I had only had sesame seeds. Nowadays, you can see people make bubble rice crackers with all kinds of sweet and savory ingredients added to them.
What is bubble rice crackers (bee pang/mi chang)
It is called bubble rice or puffed rice because the rice grains are puffed up like bubbles. The bubble rice are usually mixed with nuts, seeds, dried fruit, etc and all bound together by syrup and then press onto a pan, let cooled and cut into shape.
Where to get bubble rice/puffed rice?
I can’t really find puffed rice at the Asian stores that I usually go to, but they can be found at Indian grocery stores. The Indian like to use bubble or puffed rice for making snacks too. To me, the bubble rice/puffed rice is very similar to the crispy puffed rice cereal that most of us are familiar with in the U.S. There are puffed rice made with white rice and brown rice. You can use either one.
My puffed rice look different
You will see that my puffed rice is “skinnier” compared to store-bought ones. I tried to puff my own rice by stir-frying with salt on the stove. It kinda works but the rice isn’t as puffy. And no, they aren’t salty because the salt is filtered out after that. I’m not sharing how to make the puffed rice yet until I can make them properly without deep-frying. As for now, I suggest that you get ready-made puffed rice. It shouldn’t be a problem if you live in Asia. If you aren’t, you can always get it from Amazon too.
Basic ingredients to make puff rice crackers
1. Puffed rice
You can use any store-bought puffed rice variety. Some are made with white rice, basmati rice, brown rice. Your choice
2. Maltose
Maltose can be found in Asian grocery store. You can also try to subsitute with half honey and half corn syrup
3. Sugar
I use granulated sugar. Caster sugar works too
4. Oil
I use any neutral-tasting oil
5. Lime juice
Lime juice is used to prevent crystallization when making the syrup. You can use lemon juice or vinegar too
Optional add-ons to puff rice crackers
1. Nuts
I use regular roasted peanuts. You can use any nuts or tree nuts of your choice
2. Seeds
I use black and white sesame seeds. You can also use other seeds like pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, etc
3. Meat floss
You can use pork, chicken, or fish floss
4. Dried fruits
I didn’t use any dried fruits here, but feel free to add cranberries, raisins, dried apricots, etc.
How to make bubble rice crackers/bee pang
1. Put all ingredients for sugar syrup in a large skillet or wok. Stir until the maltose dissolves and then turn on the heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to low-medium to let it simmer until the mixture is bubbly and thickened
2. Get a small bowl of room-temperature water. Drop a small drop of syrup into the water. If you can form a soft ball in the water and when you take it out it will hold its shape a bit and then flatten back, the syrup is ready. This is a soft-ball stage (about 234 F /112 C if you measure the syrup with a candy thermometer)
soft-ball stage
3. Once the syrup has reached soft-ball stage, add the bubble rice, peanuts, sesame seeds, and meat floss. Keep stirring until all ingredients are mixed thoroughly
4. Immediately pour the bubble rice mixture onto the prepared pan and use a rubber spatula to quickly spread it throughout the pan. Cover with another piece of parchment paper sprayed with non-stick spray and use a rolling pin to gently flatten the surface. Let it cool down completely to harden
5. Cover with another piece of parchment paper sprayed with non-stick spray and use a rolling pin to gently flatten the surface. Let it cool down completely to harden
6. Cut into the shape you want with a sharp knife (apply a bit of oil on the knife to prevent sticking). Store in an air-tight container and they stay crispy for weeks
Did you make this bubble rice crackers/ bee pang recipe?
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Meat Floss Bubble Rice Crackers
Ingredients
- 250 gr bubble/puffed rice
- 80 gr toasted peanuts
- 40 gr white sesame seeds toasted
- 60 gr meat floss
Sugar syrup:
- 250 gr sugar
- 50 gr maltose
- 1 Tbsp oil
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
- 150 ml water
Instructions
- Line a large pan, about 14 x 14 inch size with aluminum foil. You can spray a layer of non-stick spray on top of brush with a bit of oil
- Try to separate or "detangle" the meat floss as much as you can so they won't clump together when you mix it with other ingredients later
Prepare sugar syrup:
- Put all ingredients for sugar syrup in a large skillet or wok. Stir until the maltose dissolves and then turn on the heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to low-medium to let it simmer until the mixture is bubbly and thickened
Test the consistency of syrup:
- Get a small bowl of room temperature water. Drop a small drop of syrup into the water. If you can form a soft ball in the water and when you take it out it will hold its shape a bit and then flatten back, the syrup is ready. This is a soft-ball stage (about 234 F / 112 C).
Add the rest of the ingredients:
- Once the syrup has reached soft-ball stage, add the bubble rice, peanuts, sesame seeds, and meat floss. Keep stirring until all ingredients are mixed thoroughly
Shaping:
- Immediately pour the bubble rice mixture onto the prepared pan and use a rubber spatula to quickly spread it throughout the pan. Cover with another piece of parchment paper sprayed with non-stick spray and use a rolling pin to gently flatten the surface. Let it cool down completely to harden
- Cut into the shape you want with a sharp knife (apply a bit of oil on the knife to prevent sticking). Store in air-tight container and they stay crispy for weeks
