Japanese Food Tips

Rice crackers (arare or okaki) made from glutinous rice are traditional Japanese snacks. They usually have a soy sauce or salty taste, and need be bitten firmly. They are a good snack for people with strong teeth. Rice crackers take time to make. First, the glutinous rice is steamed and made into rice cake. Next, it is cooked and hardened, then cut and dried. Finally, it is baked or fried with either soy sauce or salt added for taste. Soy sauce flavored rice crackers are often rolled with nori (dried seaweed). The difference between arare and okaki is size. But there is no regulation for the size. Arare are small and okaki are relatively big. Perhaps many Japanese are not aware of the difference and do not know whether they are eating arare or okaki. If you come to Japan, please buy arare and okaki as souvenirs because they last for a long time.