Ingredients
(makes 15)
Oiri (Rice crispy)
Puffed rice : 30g
Pure icing sugar : 2 table spoons
Origo syrup : 60g
Salt : 1 pinch
Water : 1 table spoon
Ginger juice (to taste) : 1/2 table spoon
Hina arare
Puffed rice : 20g
Pure icing sugar : 2 table spoons
Water : 1 table spoon
Pink food colouring : 1 drop
‘Oiri’ is a traditional sweet that has been made in the eastern Tottori Prefecture since ancient times. It is essential for Hina Matsuri (‘Dolls Festival’). In the olden times, Oiri was made from washed, dried and roasted rice, candied in sugar syrup, a dish easily made at home. From the Edo period, it became popular as offerings. It is similar to the ‘pongashi’ puffed rice sold all over Japan, however Oiri is ginger-flavoured. You can also make the traditional offering of ‘Hina Arare’ with puffed rice. It is an ingredient that is readily available in supermarkets and Korean groceries, so why not give these recipes a try?
Method
Oiri
- Spread out puffed rice in a microwave-safe dish, heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir, then microwave for a further 30 seconds (photo 1).
- Put icing sugar, 2/3 of the Oligo syrup, salt and water in a pot and stir.
- Bring to the boil until individual bubbles are clearly visible. With long cooking chopsticks, transfer a drop of the liquid into a cup of cold water to check whether it will harden (photos 2, 3).
- When a drop does harden, add remaining 1/3 of the Oligo syrup, ginger juice, and puffed rice. Stir until uniformly mixed (photo 4).
- To form each round oiri, put a little vegetable oil on one hand, take a handful of the mixture, and squeeze tightly into a spherical shape. Take care, as the mixture will be hot (photo 5).
Hina Arare
- In a pan, dissolve the icing sugar in the water and heat on the stove. Add pink food colouring if you are using it.
- When thin threads form on the tip of your cooking chopsticks as you lift them from stirring, add puffed rice that has been crisped in the microwave.
- When the puffed rice and syrup have been well combined, remove from the heat.
- Stir again until the mixture becomes white, then lay out on aluminium foil to cool.
* When making either sweet, you can prevent the sugar crystallising by making sure the pot is washed well and completely dried before using.
