Flattened rice is a type of rice dish made from raw, toasted, or parboiled rice grains pounded into flat flakes. They are eaten as is, toasted, fried, or used as ingredients or toppings for other dishes. Depending on their use, they can be crispy, crunchy, chewy, or soft in texture with a light nutty flavor. They are traditional to many rice-cultivating cultures in Southeast Asia and South Asia. [1] [2] [3] It is also known variously as rice flakes, beaten rice, pounded rice, pressed rice [3] or chipped rice.
Flattened rice is a breakfast staple in South Asia where it is known as poha, pauwa, avalakki (ಅವಲಕ್ಕಿ), chivda, "atukulu” (అటుకులు) or aval (அவல் ) among many other names. It is particularly popular in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh. Poha is made by de-husking rice grains and then parboiling or soaking them in hot water for 45 minutes. They are then dried, roasted, and then flattened with rollers. They usually come in thin, medium, and thick varieties. Thinner varieties are ideal for cooking and use in desserts, while thicker varieties are ideal for deep-frying. [3] [4]
Poha can be eaten as snacks or cooked into various sweet, savory, or spicy dishes. [3]
Flattened rice is known in Cambodia as ambok. It is made by toasting newly-harvested rice (with husks on) on a wok, then pounding the heated rice with a large wooden mortar and pestle until flat. The husks are then removed. Ambok plays a very significant role in the Cambodian Water Festival (Bon Om Touk). They are commonly eaten mixed with bananas, palm sugar, and coconut water; or roasted together with small shrimp. [5] [6]
Flattened rice in Myanmar is known as mont hsan (မုန့်ဆန်း). In Lower Myanmar, it is traditionally given as an offering to U Shin Gyi, a guardian nat (spirit) of waterways. Mont hsan is also consumed in the Upper Myanmar, and is used as an ingredient in Burmese sweets called mont.
Flattened rice in the Philippines is called pinipig . It is made using immature glutinous rice grains, giving it a distinctive greenish color. It is de-husked first, pounded in a mortar with a pestle, and then toasted or baked until crisp. They have a crunchy exterior with a chewy center. They are commonly eaten plain, used as toppings in desserts and drinks, or made into cakes. [7] [8] [9] [10]
A notable variant of the pinipig from Pampanga is the duman, which differs in that it is toasted first before being pounded. It is celebrated annually in the Duman Festival of Santa Rita, Pampanga. [11]
Flattened rice is known as khao mao in Thailand. Similar to the Philippine variant, it uses immature glutinous rice grains and is also green in color. It is made by soaking de-husked rice grains in water for several hours, steaming it in a bamboo container, toasting it in a wok, and then pounding it flat in a mortar with a pestle. [12]
Flattened rice in Vietnam is known as cốm . It is also green in color. It is made by toasting immature rice grains in low heat and then pounding them flat in a mortar with a pestle. The husk is removed afterwards via winnowing. It can be eaten plain, used as an ingredient in other dishes, or made into cakes known as bánh cốm. It is commonly eaten during the Autumn season. [13]
Mochi is a Japanese rice cake made of mochigome (もち米), a short-grain japonica glutinous rice, and sometimes other ingredients such as water, sugar, and cornstarch. The steamed rice is pounded into paste and molded into the desired shape. In Japan, it is traditionally made in a ceremony called mochitsuki. While eaten year-round, mochi is a traditional food for the Japanese New Year, and is commonly sold and eaten during that time.
Glutinous rice is a type of rice grown mainly in Southeast and East Asia, and the northeastern regions of South Asia, which has opaque grains, very low amylose content, and is especially sticky when cooked. It is widely consumed across Asia.
A mortar and pestle is a set of two simple tools used to prepare ingredients or substances by crushing and grinding them into a fine paste or powder in the kitchen, laboratory, and pharmacy. The mortar is characteristically a bowl, typically made of hardwood, metal, ceramic, or hard stone such as granite. The pestle is a blunt, club-shaped object. The substance to be ground, which may be wet or dry, is placed in the mortar where the pestle is pounded, pressed, or rotated into the substance until the desired texture is achieved.
Fried rice is a dish of cooked rice that has been stir-fried in a wok or a frying pan and is usually mixed with other ingredients such as eggs, vegetables, seafood, or meat. It is often eaten by itself or as an accompaniment to another dish. Fried rice is a popular component of East Asian, Southeast Asian and certain South Asian cuisines, as well as a staple national dish of Indonesia. As a homemade dish, fried rice is typically made with ingredients left over from other dishes, leading to countless variations. Fried rice first developed during the Sui Dynasty in China.
Santa Rita, officially the Municipality of Santa Rita, is a 4th class municipality in the province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 48,209 people. The town of Santa Rita belongs to the Second District of Pampanga, along with the towns in the south-western part of the province. It is 79 kilometres (49 mi) from Manila.
Puffed rice and popped rice are types of puffed grain made from rice commonly eaten in the traditional cuisines of Southeast Asia, East Asia, and South Asia. It has also been produced commercially in the West since 1904 and is popular in breakfast cereals and other snack foods.
Rice vermicelli is a thin form of noodle. It is sometimes referred to as "rice noodles" or "rice sticks", but should not be confused with cellophane noodles, a different Asian type of vermicelli made from mung bean starch or rice starch rather than rice grains themselves.
Rice noodles, or simply rice noodle, are noodles made with rice flour and water as the principal ingredients. Sometimes ingredients such as tapioca or corn starch are added in order to improve the transparency or increase the gelatinous and chewy texture of the noodles. Rice noodles are most common in the cuisines of China, India and Southeast Asia. They are available fresh, frozen, or dried, in various shapes, thicknesses and textures. Fresh noodles are also highly perishable; their shelf life may be just several days.
Tteok is a general term for Korean rice cakes. They are made with steamed flour of various grains, especially glutinous and non-glutinous rice. Steamed flour can also be pounded, shaped, or pan-fried to make tteok. In some cases, tteok is pounded from cooked grains.
A rice cake may be any kind of food item made from rice that has been shaped, condensed, or otherwise combined into a single object. A wide variety of rice cakes exist in many different cultures in which rice is eaten. Common variations include cakes made with rice flour, those made from ground rice, and those made from whole grains of rice compressed together or combined with some other binding substance.
Poha, also known as pohe, aval, pauwa, sira, chira, chivda, or avalakki, among many other names, is flattened rice originating from the Indian subcontinent. Rice is parboiled before flattening so that it can be consumed with very little to no cooking. These flakes of rice swell when added to liquid, whether hot or cold, as they absorb water, milk or any other liquids. The thickness of the flakes varies from almost translucently thin to nearly four times thinner than a normal rice grain.
Burmese tofu is a food of Shan origin and of Chinese from Yunnan Province, made from water and flour ground from yellow split peas and the Burmese version of chickpea flour, also known as besan flour, in a fashion similar to polenta. The flour is mixed with water, turmeric, and a little salt and heated, stirring constantly, until it reaches a creamy consistency. It is then transferred into a tray and allowed to set. It can also be made using dried chickpea instead of processed flour. In this process, dried chickpeas are soaked overnight. Once the peas have been re-hydrated, they are ground into a puree with some of the liquid used to soak the peas, then allowed to set for a couple of hours. Much of the top layer of clear liquid is then skimmed off and the remaining puree is brought to a boil with turmeric and salt and cooked and set in the same manner as the version using chickpea flour. It is matte yellow in colour, jelly-like but firm in consistency, and does not crumble when cut or sliced. It may be eaten fresh as a Burmese tofu salad or deep-fried into a Burmese fritter. It may also be sliced and dried to make crackers for deep frying. Despite the name, Burmese tofu is unrelated to Chinese tofu, which is made from soy milk with added coagulants.
Sachima is a sweet snack in Chinese cuisine made of fluffy strands of fried batter bound together with a stiff sugar syrup. It originated in Manchuria and is now popular throughout China. Its decoration and flavor vary in different regional Chinese cuisines, but the appearance of all versions is essentially the same, somewhat similar to that of American Rice Krispies Treats.
Kalamay is a sticky sweet delicacy that is popular in many regions of the Philippines. It is made of coconut milk, brown sugar, and ground glutinous rice. It can also be flavored with margarine, peanut butter, or vanilla. Kalamay can be eaten alone; but is usually used as a sweetener for a number of Filipino desserts and beverages. It is related to the Chamorro dessert called Kalamai.
Javanese cuisine is the cuisine of Javanese people, a major ethnic group in Indonesia, more precisely the province of Central Java, Yogyakarta and East Java.
Kroeung is a generic Khmer word for a number of spice/herb pastes that make up the base flavors of many Khmer dishes. Such dishes are often dubbed with the "-kroeung" suffix. Kroeung is traditionally made by finely chopping the ingredients and grinding them together using a heavy mortar and pestle although mechanical food processors can be used in modern kitchens. Various ingredients, depending on the dish and the taste of the cook, can be pounded into kroeung. The eight most commonly used are lemongrass, magrut lime zest and leaves, galangal, turmeric, garlic, shallots, dried red chillies and various rhizomes . This herbal paste is essential for preparing Khmer dishes in order to create the authentic flavour.
Cốm or simply called green rice is a flattened and chewy green rice in Vietnamese cuisine. It is not dyed green but is immature rice kernels roasted over very low heat then pounded in a mortar and pestle until flattened. Cốm is a seasonal dish associated with autumn. It can be eaten plain or with coconut shavings. The taste is slightly sweet with a nutty flavor. It is a popular seasonal dessert across Vietnam, especially in Red River Delta cuisine. It is traditionally produced at the Cốm Vòng village in Hanoi.
Ciba, also known as nianba, is a traditional Chinese snack made of glutinous rice pounded into paste. It is often molded into shapes of balls or cuboids. Ciba is often fried or steamed before being served.
Pinipig is a flattened rice ingredient from the Philippines. It is made of immature grains of glutinous rice pounded until flat before being toasted. It is commonly used as toppings for various desserts in Filipino cuisine, but can also be eaten plain, made into cakes, or mixed with drinks and other dishes.