Homemade Brown Rice Paper Wraps
Introduction
Because of the health benefits of whole grains, I’ve been wanting to try and make naturally gluten-free brown rice paper wraps for a long time.
Whenever I go to a grocery store, typically, all I can find is rice paper made from refined white rice and even online it is rare to find organic brown rice paper wraps although some can be found on Amazon including this one.
Surely, I thought, it must be possible to make at home.
The Trials
I was hopeful when I found a recipe for fresh Vietnamese rice paper, aka bahn uot, in the book Flatbreads and Flavors.
At first, the recipe which uses rice flour, tapioca starch and cornstarch didn’t work when using long grain brown rice flour – the batter simply did not bind together.
Using a nonstick pan was a complete fail.
Using my crepe maker gave me inconsistent results but provided some inspiration.
Namely, when the batter failed to stick to the crepe maker and made a partially cooked mess, I thought, why not blend the cooked pieces back into the batter?
After all, that is the process that worked when making my teff crepes.
Indeed, lo and behold, what was essentially a cooked slurry added binding power to my batter.
Next, I wondered if I could shorten the ingredient list further.
Looking at the ingredients for white rice paper wrappers, I saw that the main ingredients are simply rice flour and tapioca starch.
I also looked on YouTube for recipes on traditional methods of making rice paper and one recipe was promising because it just contained rice flour, tapioca starch and hot water.
Success
Using the ratios suggested in the YouTube recipe, I had a thin batter which also did not come together perfectly.
But again, when I blended back into the batter the first few partially cooked pieces, then I achieved a wonderful, flexible, thin wrap.
Keep in mind, this method only cooks the wraps on one side which allows them to stay more moist and pliable than when cooked on both sides.
Ingredient Discussion
Brown Rice Flour
I started out using organic long grain brown rice because that is what was most easily accessible to me at my local grocery store.
I like to my make my own fresh brown rice flour using this method.
The intent was also to provide a recipe that can be made with ingredients easy to find in North America.
According to this post, older basmati rice is actually the preferred rice to use.
If you want to try with organic basmati brown rice, a good source can be found here.
Several recipes recommend soaking the rice or rice flour for up to two days with several rinses for the water.
Soaking will improve digestibility and is recommended if you have time.
The batter will come together regardless of soaking time though I have noticed the wraps will be slightly thicker with a few hours soaking.
If you do want to soak the rice flour, it will be a matter of measuring out where your water level is and carefully draining and replacing the soaking water a couple of times daily.
Tapioca Starch
Tapioca starch is a popular gluten-free ingredient traditionally used to make rice wraps because of its strong binding properties.
It is considered a refined product and I typically like to minimize its use relative to unrefined products such as brown rice flour.
The ratio of tapioca starch to rice flour used here is the most successful I have tasted: the wrap is not too chewy and has sufficient strength.
Salt
A little Himalayan sea salt is added for flavoring.
You could omit it or use a different salt.
Equipment Discussion
Crepe Maker
Asian recipes for rice paper often use a steamer.
Homemade versions can be made very cost effectively with cloth as shown in this video.
However, for those of us who are not particularly skillful at handling thin batter, the crepe maker is the best option I have found for consistently making thin crepes/wraps.
For moist results, you just need to cook the one side of the wrap which happens to be a faster process as well: win/win.
Blender
Because we are making a thick slurry, a blender is optimal to add the slurry to the main batter and have smooth results.
The link provided in the recipe is for a high speed blender because that is the one I use and can recommend but a regular blender should work well with a little longer blending time.
Digital Scale
When making the wraps, a large part of your success will depend on having the right batter consistency.
Therefore using a digital scale is highly recommended for precise results.
Measurements are provided in grams and liters so that you can more easily scale the recipe up or down.
Silicone Spatula
A small silicone spatula is ideal to scrape every little bit of slurry when transferring it to the blender.
It is also helpful in lifting the cooked crepe/wrap from the crepe maker pan and it is one of my favorite kitchen tool discoveries.
Dried Wraps?
I wish I could tell you I figured how to make dry brown rice paper wraps as those would be the most convenient.
The thing is, when I tried to air dry the cooked brown rice paper wraps, they curled up.
I found that rehydrating the curled wraps was inconsistent, took longer and was not as tasty as using them fresh.
Drying on Cookie Sheet Drying Racks
Ideally you will want to use the wraps the same day as that is when they are most pliable.
I do partially dry each wrap on a cookie sheet drying rack until each has cooled down and then stack the wraps on top of each other to keep them moist.
Refrigerating
Once cooled, the wraps keep well in the refrigerator for a couple of days but they are not as pliable as the first day they are made.
Freezing
These wraps can be frozen though they will be more delicate to handle.
To prevent them from sticking, it is best to separate each one ( or a few at a time) with wax paper.
Allow 5 minutes to get back to thaw or heat in the microwave for 15 seconds.
Uses
I have used these wraps to make summer rolls as well as dessert crepes.
Their neutral flavor works well in most wrap/crepe recipes.
Conclusion
It’s always been one of my goals to be able to make pantry staples from scratch.
I am so happy to have found a functional option for brown rice paper wraps.
Wishing you the same success in your home and an all around grainlicious experience!
Homemade Brown Rice Paper Wraps
Equipment
- 1 fork
Ingredients
- 125 g brown rice flour
- 75 g tapioca starch
- ¼ tsp Himalayan sea salt
- 500 ml water
Instructions
Mix Dry Ingredients
- Pour brown rice flour, tapioca starch and salt in blender.
- Pulse a few times to combine.
Make Slurry
- Microwave 90 ml of water in heat proof jar for 2 minutes until bubbling hot.
- Carefully add ¼ cup of the blended flour (30 grams) to the hot water and stir thoroughly with a fork until it forms a sticky slurry.
- Allow 5 minutes for slurry to thicken.
Make batter
- Use silicone spatula to transfer slurry to blender containing flour mix.
- Add 410 ml of water to blender.
- Blend at high speed for 1 minute.
- Allow batter to rest about 5 minutes so that foam settles.
Make Brown Rice Wraps
- Turn on crepe maker.
- After 2 minutes, verify it is hot by splashing a little water on pan – the water should bubble up and evaporate immediately.
- Pour batter into crepe maker plate.
- Place hot pan into batter plate and count 5 seconds before turning back around.
- Wait until the edges of the wrap/crepe curl up.
- Carefully remove wrap from pan by the edge using silicone spatula if desired and place on cookie sheet drying rack to cool off.
Stack Wraps or Use Immediately
- Once wrap has cooled off for at least a minute, it can be stacked on top of other wraps or used immediately to make summer rolls, crepes or other gluten free creations of your choice.
Store in Refrigerator or Freezer
- Wraps can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days or in the freezer for up to a month. They will be drier and less pliable than freshly made but still functional.
Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional or a nutritionist. This post is provided for general educational purposes. For a full disclaimer, please see here. As a reminder, when embarking on any type of significant diet/lifestyle change, it is wise to consult with a medical professional and continue to be monitored routinely as warranted by your particular health condition.
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