cup rice flour
Rice flour is a good source of carbohydrates and provides energy, though white rice flour has lower fiber content than brown rice flour. Brown rice flour offers additional B vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants from the retained bran layer.
About
Rice flour is a finely milled powder made from grinding white, brown, or glutinous rice grains. Native to Asia and now produced globally, rice flour is a staple starch with a mild, subtly sweet flavor and fine, talc-like texture. Common varieties include white rice flour (made from polished rice), brown rice flour (retaining the bran for increased fiber and nuttiness), and sweet or glutinous rice flour (made from short-grain glutinous varieties with high amylopectin content, binding more readily in cooking). The production process simply involves drying and grinding rice to a powder, making it gluten-free and easily digestible.
Culinary Uses
Rice flour is a versatile thickening agent and foundational ingredient in Asian cuisines, particularly Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Thai cooking. It is used to create batters for deep-fried dishes, dumplings, rice cakes, noodles, and desserts. In baking, rice flour serves as a gluten-free alternative to wheat flour, though its neutral flavor and different binding properties require recipe adaptation. Common applications include tempura batter, Vietnamese bánh hoai, mochi, rice noodles, and gluten-free baked goods. It is also used as a thickener for sauces and gravies and as a coating for fried foods.