Rice Flour

Rice flour is a fine, powdery milled product made from raw uncooked rice. Naturally gluten-free and hypoallergenic, it is a versatile pantry staple used globally as a wheat flour substitute, a powerful thickening agent, and a key ingredient for achieving a light, crispy texture in fried and baked goods.

Types of Rice Flour:-
White Rice Flour: Made from polished, raw white rice. It has a neutral flavor and soft texture, making it perfect for blending with other flours without altering the taste of your food.
Brown Rice Flour: Milled from whole grain brown rice. It retains the outer bran and germ, offering a slightly nuttier taste and providing higher levels of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Glutinous (Sweet) Rice Flour: Made from short-grain sticky/glutinous rice. Despite its name, it contains no gluten but has a high starch content that yields a wonderfully chewy, sticky, and stretchy texture.

Primary Culinary Uses:-
Gluten-Free Baking: Because it lacks the elastic proteins found in wheat, it is frequently combined with binders like psyllium husk or other starches (like tapioca) to make bread, cakes, and pasta.
Crispy Coatings: It absorbs less water than wheat flour, making it an excellent dusting flour or batter base that yields a remarkably light and crispy exterior when fried or baked.
Thickening Agent: Used as a starch-based thickener for soups, gravies, and sauces. It is highly effective for freezing or refrigerating, as it prevents liquid from separating (syneresis).
Asian Cuisine: A cornerstone ingredient for making rice noodles, steamed dumplings, and desserts like Japanese mochi.