Indians love their rice. Be it rajma chawal from Punjab or Bisi Bele Bath from Karnataka, be it Biryani from Hyderabad or Nap Naang from Nagaland, rice features in all these dishes and no wonder, it has connected people together since time immemorial. But did you know that rice flour is as good and useful as rice grains itself? Made with finely ground rice, rice flour is too versatile and commonly used ingredient in Indian cooking. Not just this, it serves many purposes like thickening sauces, batters for frying, and making various types of bread and snacks too.
Rice flour is often used to make crispy coatings for fried foods like pakoras, bhajis, and crispy vegetables. It adds a light and crunchy texture to these snacks. Besides, rice flour is used to make different types of flatbreads too. Also, it is used in several Indian sweets and desserts like ladoo, kheer (rice pudding), modak, and other rice-based confections. Did you know that even though the traditional dosa and idli batters are made from whole rice and urad dal, instant versions of these South Indian delicacies can be made using rice flour? So, if you have rice flour stored in your kitchen, here are six Indian dishes that you can make and enjoy.
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Akki Roti
Akki Roti is a popular South Indian flatbread made from rice flour. It has rice flour mixed with water, salt, and spices to form a dough. The dough is flattened into a thin, round bread and cooked to perfection. One can always add finely chopped vegetables or herbs to the dough for enhanced flavour and taste.
Rice Flour Dosa
A breakfast staple in many parts of India, dosa is a thin, crispy pancake made from a batter of fermented rice flour and urad dal (black gram). However, you can also make instant dosa using rice flour, which is quicker and doesn't require fermentation. You can stuff it with potato masala (Masala Dosa) or enjoy it plain with chutney or sambar.
Rice Flour Ladoo
Rice flour is a key ingredient in making delicious several Indian desserts and ladoo is no exception. To make delicious ladoos, all you need to do is mix some rice flour with semolina or rava, sugar, ghee, and cardamom powder. These sweet, bite-sized balls are a favorite during festivals.
Rice Flour Chakli
Chakli is a popular South Indian snack made from rice flour and urad dal. The dough is seasoned with spices like cumin seeds, sesame seeds, and asafoetida before being shaped into spiral or flower shapes and deep-fried until crispy. They make up for a delicious tea-time snack.
Modak
Modak is a steamed or fried dumpling commonly prepared during Ganesh Chaturthi, a Hindu festival. The outer shell of the modak is made from rice flour, and it's filled with a sweet mixture of coconut, jaggery, and cardamom. The dumplings are then steamed or fried until they are cooked and slightly crispy.
Pitha
Pitha is a traditional Indian dish often made during festivals. There are various types of pithas and many of them use rice flour as a primary ingredient. One popular variety is "Chitoi Pitha," which involves making rice flour pancakes, typically served with jaggery or grated coconut.