Holiday Ayo - If you like snacking, this Japanese snack is a must try, Senbei. Senbei or rice crackers are a cheap and delicious snack from Japan, you know. Senbei are round in shape and come in many flavors.

This typical Japanese snack is also widely sold on the roadside and is quite popular with travelers because the price is quite cheap.

Here are the facts about Senbei cited from IDNTimes.com :

What is senbei

Senbei or rice crackers are Japanese snacks made from a mixture of flour, rice, oil and water. The texture is dry but soft when bitten. But there are also types of senbei that have a crunchy texture, you know.

Most senbei are round with a certain sprinkling on top. In Japan, senbei is a snack as well as a snack to accompany tea at Japanese shops and homes.

Senbei making

The rice used to make senbei is uruchi rice in Japan. Making senbei traditionally starts with grinding rice in a special stone machine until it becomes fine grains.

After that the rice grains are mixed with warm water, then kneaded to form a dough. After that the dough is steamed for 40 minutes, then kneaded again and mixed with spices.

The next stage, the dough is dried and flattened, after that the senbei are baked while continuing to press so that the surface does not change. Once cooked, then the senbei is smeared with soy sauce or sprinkled with certain toppings.

History of senbei

Reported by Tokyo Treat, senbei was first brought to Japan by the Chinese 1,000 years ago, precisely when the Tang Dynasty came to power. The Chinese who stopped by brought a crunchy round snack called jiangbing. Later this snack was adapted and known as senbei.

Another story about the origin of senbei is that it began when a woman named Osen turned the rest of the uneaten dango into flat balls, then baked them. As a result, soka senbei is known to this day.

It has been popularly traded since the Edo period, until now senbei is still a favorite snack that is easy to find, you know. Many senbei are packaged and sold in convenience stores or Japanese supermarkets.

Apart from minimarkets, Japanese gift shops also still sell senbei of various types and flavors. There are even some senbei that are decorated with paintings or drawings on the surface. As a result, this food can also be used as a souvenir when returning from the Sakura Country.