Homemade rice flour, commonly known as pacharisi mavu or eera araisi mavu in tamil is indispensable during the Indian festive season. From savoury to sweets, freshly milled rice flour acts as a base for many South Indian festive treats. In this post, you will find all about rice flour and how it can be used in many different ways.
Making rice flour at home is quite simple. The amount of rice flour yield will depend on the quality and the brand of rice using. Use a good quality rice and use only raw rice to make home made rice flour.
Different ways to use rice flour in Cooking
Being a rice staple region, it is natural that we use derivatives of rice extensively in our cooking.
Rice flour is used as a thickening agent in south Indian cuisine. The everyday dishes like sambar, or any kuzhambu varieties, kootu, side dishes like gothsu, make use of rice flour to thicken the gravy. The starch in the rice acts as a solid base for the gravy/sauces. This is a perfect gluten free thickener for any kind of sauces and gravies.
When using rice flour as a thickening agent, do not add the flour directly. Make a rice flour slurry/paste by adding equal amounts of water and flour. Mix well ensuring no lumps and then pour this mixture on to the dish. Rice flour lumps easily when it is added directly in hot liquid.
Rice flour is used for getting a crunchy and crispy texture in recipes. Sprinkling rice flour on vegetable fries like sepankizhangu roast (colocasia fry) or aloo roast (potato roasts) forms a crunchy outer layer on the vegetables. The famous Indian fritters, bajjis and pakodas use rice flour in the batter to make it crispy and crunchy.
Storing the rice flour
If you are not using the flour right away, let it air dry overnight and store it in an airtight container. The shelf life is few weeks depending on the climate. If its humid and warm, fungi will form soon. So store it in a refrigerator.
You can also roast the flour in a pan until it becomes warm to touch. Let it cool completely and then store it in an air tight container at room temperature. This will extend the shelf life.
In either of the methods, home made rice flour will not stay good for a longer period. Finish it soon.
Rice flour recipes in Indian cuisine
Traditional South Indian snacks & sweets:
- Arisi Puttu - A sweet snack made with steamed rice flour and jaggery syrup.
- Thiruvathirai Kali
- Kozhukattai
- Vella Seedai
- Uppu Seedai
- Athirasam
- Thattai
- Ribbon pakoda
- Muruku
- Thenkuzhal
All these recipes will be updated soon.
- 4 cups rice flour
- Water to soak
Rinse and wash the rice well. Then soak the rice in enough water for minimum 2 hours.
Drain the water completely and keep it in the colander for about 10 minutes. This lets the remaining water to completely drain.
Then spread it in a clean cloth or something that absorbs the moisture. Keep it at the counter for about 20 minutes (refer notes).
Once the rice is slightly dried (if you touch the rice it should be damp but not wet), transfer it to a mixie (the indian blender) or a high power blender. Grind it for about 1 or 2 minutes max. If the mixie heats up, wait and then grind.
Sieve and transfer the grits back to the mixie. Now along with this add the next batch of rice and do the same process. Repeat until all the rice is ground and you have a fine rice flour.
Please note that the rice flour ground at home will not be smooth, not powdery smooth. It will slightly be grainy. Note, just slightly.
If you are not using the flour right away, let it air dry overnight and store it in an airtight container. The shelf life is few weeks depending on the climate. If its humid and warm, fungi will form soon. So store it in a refrigerator.
You can also roast the flour in a pan until it becomes warm to touch. Let it cool completely and then store it in an air tight container at room temperature. This will extend the shelf life.
In either of the methods, home made rice flour will not stay good for a longer period. Finish it soon.
Calories mentioned are for a cup of flour.
Soaking the rice
Make sure you soak the rice for minimum two hours. If the rice is not soaked properly, it will be difficult to grind it to a smooth flour. The grits will be more and it will be difficult to break the rice grains. You can soak it for a longer time but definitely not less.
Grinding the rice
Grind the rice in batches. Do not overcrowd the mixer and fill only half the jar each time. So it prevents the mixer from overheating.
You wont get a really smooth flour when it is home ground. Grind it as much as you could and sieve it. When you touch, you can feel tiny grits.
Wonderful post Nisha! Love the beautiful clicks! Though we won’t get fine flour st home, but that is the best flour ever made, I love to make small batches , planning to make some ahead of Diwali!
Great post about rice flour, Just to save some time, I use store bought flour sometimes, But my mom always insist me to make my own flour, that gives the recipe a totally different feel. Your notes are really helpful. Thanks for the share!
home made rice flour recipe looks great Nisha will all points I loved it and bookmarked. surely gonna take care.
Homemade powders are always best than the store brought.lovely clicks.
Always prefer to make rice flour at home. Homemade is best always !!!! Lovely share 🙂
I always make rice flour at home for my ukadiche modak. Homemade is best. Beautiful clicks and lovely share !
Useful post, I get it done at the mill. The rice flour is pure what we make at home.
My mom n mom in law used to make rice flour at home. Making it is so easy why did I stop? Thanks.
I've always bought store bought rice flour, but now we know how to make at home, btw first pic is so beautiful.
Always keep store bought rice flour handy in refrigerator. Never thought about making at home. Fabulous share. Thanks for sharing.
Always bought rice flour from the store never thought it would be so easy to make at home, thank sfor sharing will grind my rice flour now at home always.
In Brazil we used to get this ready in the Chinese and Japanese stores. Thanks for sharing the tips of making it at home.
I have never tried making rice flour at home. Thank you for detailed recipe. On my next to do list.
Wow!!! the image you have captured is simply wow. Simple, minimal and stunning.
Well explained and helpful post ! I do make rice flour at home. Homemade one is always best☺