
Sticky rice bites - canapés with Castello® Chili & Ginger Cream Cheese
A tempting starter or a pretty snack – no matter how you serve it, these sticky rice bite snacks will satisfy the eye, as well as the taste buds. An easy and quick canapé you can prepare in advance to save time. And if you like to experiment, we recommend our delicious toppings.
ingredients
- 1 Castello® Chili & ginger cream cheese ring
- 1 cup glutinous sushi rice
- 375 ml water
- 125 ml mirin
- 2 tbsp white sugar
- 1 sheet of nori seaweed, cut into 1cm wide strips
- 2 spring onions
- 80 g toasted white and black sesame seeds for coating
- 2 tsp vegetable oil
- ½ tsp salt
preparation
1. Rinse the rice in a strainer until the water runs clear. Then leave it in fresh water to soak for 1 to 4 hours.
2. Add rice to a cooking pot and pour in some water, using around the same amount of water as the rice (roughly 250ml).
3. Bring to the boil, then reduce to low heat and let simmer for 20 mins. The rice should be tender, and the water absorbed. Cool until easy to handle.
4. In a small saucepan, combine the rest of the water (175ml), mirin, oil, and sugar. Cook until the sugar dissolves and let it cool.
5. Add the liquid to the rice and combine gently with a wooden spoon. Stir until the liquid is absorbed.
6. Shape the rice as for nigiri by hand or in a nigiri sushi maker if you have one.
7. Gently dip each piece of shaped rice in the sesame seeds.
8. Chop the spring onion very finely.
9. Fold a band of nori around each rice bite.
10. Cut the cream cheese ring in 12 even pieces.
11. Top each rice bite with a slice of cream cheese and decorate with some spring onion.
12. Serve and enjoy the flavourful spark of Thailand with every bite.

Serving Suggestion
These canapés look great served on a banana leaf if available.

Sensory hack tip
As an option, you can decorate your sticky rice bites with Sakura as a finishing touch.

Tips & Tricks
Shape into balls instead of nigiri if that is easier.