Rice Balls Near You

What Are Rice Balls Made Of?

Appetizers are a great way to start off any meal before getting to the main course. Or maybe you'd just like to grab your favorite snack when watching a game or a movie. Or perhaps you're just not that hungry.

But any way you put it, we got a great starter for you - enter rice balls!

As the name suggests, this type of food is made of rice and features the shape of a ball. This makes it suitable for a road trip snack, a side dish, or grabbing a quick bite on the go.

Of course, depending on the kind, different ingredients may come into play.

Today, we're going to focus on the Italian rice balls also known as arancini.

The preparation method is simple. They're stuffed with a filling, covered in breadcrumbs, and cooked by deep frying.

Now, as far as the filling ingredients, they go as follows:

• Ragù - a meat-based sauce
• Cheese - typically mozzarella or even caciocavallo is used.
• Peas
• Ham & mozzarella or béchamel sauce when done al burro style.
• Mushrooms - for arancini ai funghi.
• Pistachios - in arancini al pistacchio.
• Eggplant - with arancini alla norma.

These rice balls are an integral part of Sicilian cuisine. In fact, the name arancini comes from the Sicilian word "aranciu" which means orange. That's because, when cooked, their form and color resemble an orange.

There are even differences within Sicily itself, and in the eastern parts, the rice balls actually have the shape of a cone. This alludes to Mount Etna, an active volcano.

Where Did Rise Balls Originate?

As we've already said, the arancini are a dish from Sicily. They have been around for a long time, or circa the 10 century to be more specific. At the time, Sicily was under the rule of the Arabs. Because of this, the rice balls probably originated the same way as the kibbeh, a notable food in Levantine cuisine.

An interesting fact is that this snack was the meal of choice for Sicily's King Frederick II when he would go hunting.

Moreover, arancini are the signature finger food for the celebration of Santa Lucia in a few Sicilian cities. This takes place on December 13 and excludes the consumption of bread and pasta.

The story behind this goes back to 1646. In that period, there was a shortage of food. But fortunately, a ship with grain supplies arrived on that year's Santa Lucia day.

Nowadays, these rice balls are extremely common in street vendors and eateries across Sicily.

They've even been made more popular by being featured in a series of Italian novels. We're talking about the works of Andrea Camilleri and his famous character Inspector Salvo Montalbano. As you can expect, this character is a big fan of arancini.

Of course, rice balls have become a typical appetizer in many other countries including the United States.

What Are the Different Types of Rice Balls?

While we've been focused on the Italian rice balls till now, there are also other varieties, including some really popular ones.

Hence, we have the Korean jumeok-bap, the Chinese zongzi, the Ghanaian omo tuo, and more.

That being said, let's take a closer look at the following two types:

Onigiri

Coming from Japan, onigiri is a food synonymous with rice balls. They're made with white rice and have the form of a triangle or a cylinder. Also, they're usually enveloped with nori which is an edible seaweed.

As for the filling, there are several ingredients that can be used including:

• Ume
• Tarako
• Salmon
• Takanazuke
• Kombu

The Japanese rice balls Onigiri is a very suitable dish for takeout, and it has a rich history, too.

When chopsticks weren't as common, rice was an easy food to roll into balls and be taken with on the go. Multiple writings, as early as the 17th century, also suggest that a lot of Samurai would consume rice balls and cover them with bamboo for storage.

In recent times, a machine for making onigiri was invented in the 1980s. These come out in a triangular form and the filling is placed into a hole rather than being rolled inside. To prevent the nori from becoming sticky, modern machinery inserts a plastic wrap between the nori and the rice.

Supplì

Supplì is another version of Italian rice balls. They're made with risotto and tomato sauce.

The filling consists of mincemeat, mozzarella cheese, giblets, and/or provatura. For the cooking, the supplì is coated in eggs, then bread crumbs, and finally deep-fried. This process is similar to the one for arancini.

Its name comes from the French word for surprise. In fact, the first reference to supplì is from the 1800s. It was based on the term en surprise which in French cuisine refers to various slices of meat wrapped with breadcrumbs.

Initially, supplì were sold in friggitorie which are shops that offer fried foods. But later on, they became a common appetizer in many Italian restaurants.

How Many Calories Are in a Rice Ball?

A serving size of six rice balls (arancini) contains around 820 calories. This includes 41g of total fat, 87g of carbohydrates, 23g of protein, and 1.4g of sodium.

Where Can I Find Rice Balls Near Me?

For those of you in New York, we suggest Justino's Pizza on 10th Ave. They're open 7 days a week but you can also order takeout and delivery. What's great is that you get 5% off on all online orders via Slice.

And if you're in Las Vegas, then Rocco's NY Pizzeria & Pasta on 580 E Windmill Ln is the right place for you. Feel free to give them a visit any day of the week, or order pickup or delivery through Slice.