Rice Paper

The term “rice paper” is far from unambiguous. On one hand, it refers to thin papers from East Asia made from various materials, such as the dried pith of the rice-paper plant. On the other hand, the term also describes edible, wafer-like sheets made from rice flour. In the context of this blog, the latter meaning applies — the edible rice flour wafers.

Rice Paper

Edible rice paper is traditionally made from starch, water, and rice or tapioca flour. The batter is spread very thin and then slowly dried in the sun or heated by other means. Rice paper is used primarily in Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine to prepare spring rolls, summer rolls, and other dumplings.

You can find rice paper in rectangular or round shapes in various sizes at any Asian supermarket. The sheets are usually packaged in plastic and labelled with terms such as “Rice paper”, “Rice sheets”, “Wafer paper”, or “Spring roll skins”. To use the sheets, you need to briefly soak them in lukewarm water.

Rice Paper with Sesame

Alongside the very thin plain rice paper sheets, there are also varieties containing light or dark sesame seeds. These are thick enough to be more accurately described as “rice cardboard”. They can be used for spring rolls, but they are intended for desserts, as a snack, or as a crispy component in salads.