What is Rice flour, chawal ka atta?

Rice flour is made by grinding rice into a fine powder. It is generally made from polished broken rice and is therefore usually whiter than wheat or rye flour; it is usually ground more finely also. Rice flour can be made from short and long grained rice. Flour made from long grain rice is used to make a soft, light bread and other baked goods. Depending on the variety of flour used, the consistency of the foods may range from very light and soft to somewhat gritty in texture. You can even grind rice into coarse flour for making upma and certain sweet or savoury snacks.

How to select Rice Flour, chawal ka atta

• Rice flour is easily available at any grocery store.

• Alternatively you can also clean and dry rice, and get it ground at a flour mill. Just check on the quality of the rice used.

• Flour should be white in colour and free flowing.

• It is available in fine, medium or coarse grades for different uses.

9 Uses of Rice flour, chawal ka atta

1. Rice flour is made by grinding rice into a fine powder and it is used in various dishes.

2. Rice flour is used to make sweet and savory pancakes. These are super soft to eat and are really easy to make as well. These pancakes can be of different types and are made throughout India, but under different names. There is Amboli in Maharashtra, Neer Dosa in the south and Panki in Gujarat, all these are rice flour pancakes.

3. It has a great quality of adding crispiness to food it is added to and hence is highly used in tikkis and pakodas that require a certain crisp in the texture like the Corn and Capsicum Tikki.

4. Rice flour is also commonly used for making jar snacks that are super crispy, like Chaklis and Verki Puri that can be stored for a long time. This flour being so versatile adds softness to some dishes while crispness to others, depending on how it is cooked.

5. Unlike otherwise believed, rice flour great in roti and paratha preparations. Rice Bhakri or the famous Akki Roti from Karnataka are good examples of how a humble ingredient like rice flour can be converted into rotis.

6. Rice flour is gluten free and hence is extremely popular among the people who do not eat gluten or are allergic to it. They can prepare delicacies like Rice flour Bread to avoid the gluten.

7. Noodles are also prepared with rice flour. Rice noodles are used mostly in the Asian cuisines like Chinese and Thai. South Indians also make their version of the rice noodles called Iddiyappam to serve alongside coconut stews. This is a phenomenal option for those who want to go gluten free.

8. Rice flour cooked in hot water along with green chillies and jeera, makes an age old Gujarati Snack, Khichu.

9. Many sweets and desserts for traditional festivals use rice flour. Modaks are the biggest example of that where a mix of jaggery and coconut is cooked in a rice flour coating and steamed to perfection.

How to Store Rice Flour, chawal ka atta

• Rice flour keeps for long if stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

• You can store it for longer in the refrigerator, but ensure a tightly sealed packing to avoid the flour absorbing odours and flavours from surrounding items.

Health Benefits of Rice Flour, chawal ka atta

• Low fat, low salt, no cholesterol!

• A good source of vitamins and minerals such as thiamine, niacin, iron, riboflavin, vitamin D and calcium.

• Being low in fibre, it is extremely soothing to the digestive system.