What is Rice Paper

Rice paper is paper made from the pith of the rice plant, or from a variety of other plants including mulberry and hemp. It is traditionally associated with Asian arts and crafts, and it has been used for centuries in Japan and China as a material for writing and artwork. Many Western crafters enjoy working with rice paper because it has a distinctive texture, and the slightly translucent paper of most rice paper makes it appear to glow in a way that other papers do not. Many crafts and paper stores sell rice paper, and it can also be ordered through specialty companies.

True rice paper, rice paper actually made from the rice plant, is actually fairly rare. Most “rice paper” on the market is actually made from mulberry, and it tends to be smooth, slightly crackly, and rather thin. This mulberry paper is often dyed, or it may be made with vegetative inclusions for more texture. It is also known as washi, which is a name for high-grade handmade specialty paper. Mulberry fiber may also be blended with fibers from other plants, including rice, to make rice paper.

Another type of rice paper is made from the fibers of the Tetrapanax papyifer, the “rice paper plant,” a tree native to Taiwan. This tree is cultivated for its sheet like bark, which can be shaved into thin sheets of paper. These sheets of “rice paper” were brought to Europe, along with other Asian crafts, along trade and exploration routes. Europeans misunderstood the composition of the paper, and believed that it was actually made from rice.

One variety of rice paper is used to make edible food wrappers. This rice paper typically includes rice grains, and sometimes tapioca as well. The thin paper essentially melts away when touched by the tongue, making it an excellent wrapper for sweets and baked goods. Thicker rice wrappers are used to make dumplings, spring rolls, and similar foods.

The more rice in the blend of fibers used to make the paper, the more transparent it will be. True rice paper is also easier to write on, as a general rule, than pure mulberry paper. The paper comes in a wide range of sizes, colors, and textures, thanks to assorted ingredients and ways of processing them. This can be very useful for people who like to do crafts with rice paper, since they have a number of options to choose from.

rice paper/kertas nasi