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Brown rice flour is a highly nutritious flour made from milling whole grain brown rice. Brown rice flour is usually ground to a fine texture and can be used in baking, frying, and even thickening soups. The exciting part is that it is also gluten-free.
The brown rice flour is similar to the white rice flour, and the only significant differences are the color, and nutrients that the brown flour contains. Regrettably, brown rice flour is not as widely available as most flours, so if you run out of it and can’t seem to get it at the grocery market, feel free to use any of the brown rice flour substitutes mentioned in this article.
In a nutshell, some of the best substitutes for brown rice flour includes white rice flour, coconut flour, tapioca flour, oat flour, almond flour, millet flour, sorghum flour, wheat flour, and potato flour.
Let’s learn more about these alternatives!
Best Brown Rice Flour Substitutes
You can use these flours in place of your brown rice flour, and you’ll get almost the same result as the brown rice flour.
1. White Rice Flour
White rice flour is made from rice grains that have been polished and refined. The outer bran of this rice is removed, leaving you with just the white layer instead of the brown one.
These two ingredients work almost the same way as brown rice, except it has a neutral taste and is white rather than brown.
White rice does not have as much flavor as brown rice, but the flavor is relatively mild so that you wouldn’t miss it in most recipes. You don’t have to worry about what it does as it also works significantly in baking, frying, ad thickening soups.
2. Sorghum Flour
Sorghum flour is abundant in Asia, Africa, and the middle east. The sorghum flour is popular in southern cooking, but now, it is gaining popularity throughout the rest of the countries. Unlike white rice flour, sorghum flour is not as available.
Sorghum flour has a similar taste to brown rice flour as it has a similar nutty and sweet taste. An added advantage is that gluten-free so gluten intolerant people can consume it.
The sorghum flour is not a great binding agent, so you must use additional binders like the xanthan gum and eggs to keep things from getting too crumbly.
3. Tapioca Flour
One of the best brown rice flour substitutes, the tapioca flour is made from ground and dried cassava, and just like sorghum flour, it is a great gluten-free alternative.
Tapioca flour also has a mild and natural sweetness and works perfectly in savory applications. Tapioca flour is suitable for thickening fruit pies, and it also works perfectly for desserts and baked goods.
4. Potato Starch
Potato starch is made from potatoes, just as the name implies, and it also makes an excellent substitute for brown rice flour.
The potato starch has no flavor, so it won’t have a drastic taste affect on your meals. It is gluten-free and has similar thickening abilities as brown rice for thickening, frying, and baking.
5. Wheat Flour
Wheat flour is a great substitute, whether it is all-purpose wheat flour or whole wheat flour, but you should note that this substitute is not gluten-free.
Secondly, it behaves a bit differently than brown rice when cooked. This is not an issue as it can be fixed by either using less liquid to cook or fewer binders.
6. Almond Flour
Almond flour is made from almonds that are ground to an acceptable state. If you notice, you would see that this option is made from a nut and not a grain, so the taste or flavor is not expected to be the same as the rice flour or other alternatives mentioned beforehand.
Almond flour is considered the best option for sweet baked food as it has a sweeter flavor than other alternatives. Almond flour also makes a great substitute for fried chicken or fish as it contains fewer calories.
7. Millet Flour
Millet flour, just like the name implies, is made from finely ground millet, and it is another gluten-free substitute.
This substitute is excellent for baked cakes and loaves of bread as it provides a very light and cake-like texture in many recipes.
Millet has a fair nutty flavor, even with a mild sweetness. It would be best if you considered mixing it with another flour so that it does not overpower the dish’s taste.
8. Oat Flour
Oat flour is one of the best substitutes for brown rice flour as it is gluten-free and a superfood substitute.
The fantastic thing about the oat flour is that it can be readily available in any local grocery store.
Oat flour is an excellent source of a good amount of dietary fiber as it contains only 50 calories per 100-gram serving.
Oat flour can be among one of the healthiest grains globally due to its unique nutrients, vitamins, and anti-oxidants.
The color of the oat flour also resembles that of the brown rice flour and what’s even better is that it is considered healthier than the brown rice flour.
9. Coconut Flour
Coconut flour is also a fantastic gluten-free substitute, and if you are sensitive to gluten, this is just the recipe for you.
A particular advantage that this substitute adds is that it adds a divine taste and aroma to your dish.
Coconut flour is a healthy alternative rich in fiber and proteins that would help our body fight problems with blood sugar, health risks, and impaired digestion.
In summary, this is a perfect t substitute for a healthy lifestyle. For your baked dishes, you can substitute ¾ cup of coconut flour for a cup of brown rice flour.
When substituting with coconut flour, ensure that you put more eggs and milk than usual so that your baked food would also turn out moist from the inside.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Difference Between Brown Rice Flour and White Rice Flour?
The significant difference between these two is that in the case of the white rice flour, the bran is usually removed before the rice is ground, while for brown rice flour, the rice is ground with the bran. Also, the brown rice flour is usually not ground as finely as the white rice flour.
Due to the brown rice flour’s coarser nature is preferable to the white rice flour in baking because the flavors are more pronounced.
How Do I Substitute Rice Flour for Flour?
You should substitute only 7/8 cups of rice flour for a cup of flour if you do not add any liquids. You can blend rice flour with other gluten-free or non-grain flour to act like regular flour.
What Does Rice Flour Do in Baking?
When you use rice flour for your baking, expect your dish to have a more intricate texture, lower loaf volume, and shorter shelf life. You should note that your loaves of bread made with rice flour usually have a shorter life span, so you shouldn’t leave them for long.
What Can Be Made of Rice Flour?
You can make use of your rice flour for your baking dish. You can make some recipes like the Ela Ada recipe, quick idiyappam, corn, capsicum takki, and neer dosa with rice flour.
What Is Flour Best for Crispy Frying?
The rice flour and the cornstarch work better than wheat flour as they absorb less oil and fat during the frying process, making the products less greasy and crispier.
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