Rice flour in the latkes?

15 years ago

So instead of a Xmas Open house this year I'm doing a Shiksa Latke Supper for family and a few friends. Usually I do one just for Norm's family and my sister's. One of our good friends is not only vegetarian but has discovered she is celiac. So do you think it will make any difference in the latkes if I use rice flour? I'm making potato ones and then either sweet potato or zucchini? The recipes use so little flour or matzo meal that it shouldn't make a difference. But maybe you know another sub that will keep them crisp?

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Comments (8)

grainlady_ks
15 years ago
From the recipe below, the answer is yes. You can make your own rice flour in a coffee/spice mill. I'd suggest using short- or med.-grain rice. You'll get a better product than using long-grain rice for flour. Long-grain rice is suited to breading, sauces, and as a thickener. Short- and medium-grain are multi-purpose, working for the same things as long-grain, but are best for baked goods and food preparation. For 1 c. rice flour, grind 3/4-cup minus 1 T. rice (short-grain). -Grainlady

LATKES

(source: The Gluten-Free Gourmet - by Bette Hagman)

3 fist-sized potatoes
1 onion about 2-1/2 inches round
2 eggs
2 T. rice flour
1/2 t. salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Peel and quarter the potatoes and place in a bowl of water until ready to process. In the blender, pulse the onion until finely chopped. remove to a mixing bowl and then pulse the potatoes in several batches until finely chopped. Beat the eggs. Add them with the flour and seasonings to the potatoes and onions. Mix well.

Fry the pancakes about 1/4-inch of hot oil until golden, about 3-4 minutes per side. Serve hot. Makes 9-10 pancakes.
trsinc
15 years ago
I have a bag of rice flour that I bought at an Asian market. I haven't used it for anything and most everything on the package is in another language. It does say ingredients: rice flour, water. I wonder if that would be ok to use? Grainlady has a reason for making your own, I'm sure.
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I use rice flour and rice bran in making flatbread (crackers) - it helps to make them very crispy. Rice flour will definitely change the texture of what you add it to. Lars' Flatbread Ingredients 1-1/3 cups water (lukewarm) 2 tbsp dried malt extract (or 1 tbsp sugar) 1 tbsp instant dry yeast (or one package) 1/2 cup oat bran 1/2 cup rice bran 1/2 cup rice flour 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil (canola or grape seed) 1 tbs olive oil 1 tbsp toasted sesame seed oil 2 tsp salt 3 to 3-1/2 cups unbleached flour Toppings: 1 egg + 1 tbsp water (for brushing on top of dough) garlic powder onion granules caraway seeds poppy seeds sesame seeds Pour lukewarm water into a mixer bowl and add malt extract. If you use liquid extract, you will have to double the amount and use less water. Whisk in yeast until all is dissolved. Then stir in oat bran, rice bran, and rice flour. Allow this mixture to rest for half an hour or more, and then add the oils. You can add less oil if you want a harder cracker. Then add 2 to 2-1/2 cups flour that has been sifted with the salt, and put the bowl in the machine with the dough hook. Mix at high speed (with the splash guard on) until blended. Then add flour in small increments until the dough makes a ball that is not too sticky. Finish kneading by hand, or simply place in a bowl that is lightly greased with olive oil, and allow to rise for a couple of hours, or leave it in the refrigerator covered overnight. I let my dough rise twice. Preheat oven to 375°. Pinch balls of dough about 2-1/2 to 3" diameter and roll the dough on a floured surface into a rectangular shape as thin as possible. Prick the dough all over with a fork or docker and brush lightly with egg wash. Dust very lightly with garlic powder and onion granules. Sprinkle caraway seeds (if desired), about two per square inch. You dont need many of these, and it is easy for them to be overpowering. Then sprinkle poppy seeds evenly over, as desired and finish with the sesame seeds. Its better not to overdo the seed toppings (especially the caraway), but I havent had a problem with the poppy seeds so far. Pat the seeds into the dough with your fingers and then cut the dough into squares using a pizza cutter or ravioli cutter. Transfer the dough, using a metal spatula, onto an ungreased baking sheet, and bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes, or until toasty in appearance. You will need to watch them closely towards the end, as they will burn easily, once they are done. I use a toaster oven for most of them, but sometimes I bake them in the regular oven until almost done and then finish the untoasted ones in a toaster oven at a lower temperature about 350° for 2-5 minutes. You can always toast underdone ones later. I based this recipe on some flatbread that I bought in Sonoma. The package listed all the ingredients, and so all I had to do was to figure out the proportions - I may have made some additions of my own as well. I can buy some similar flatbread here, but it is not nearly as good as what I make or as what I got in Sonoma. Lars
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For people who are interested in using rice flour, it is easy to make at home if you have a coffee/spice mill. The difference in performance and color between white and brown rice flour is small. The white is a shade whiter, smoother textured, and less flavored. White or brown rice flour may be used interchangeably in any recipe. The BIG difference you need to note is the variety of rice that you use for what task. Flour made from any long-grain rice is suited to breading, sauces, and use as a thickener; it is not good for baking (brownies excepted) since it yields a wet, soggy product with a large crumb. Both medium- and short-grain rice flours are multipurpose and can be used as thickeners and in baked goods, where they give a sandy, dry crumb. The problem with buying rice flour is that you don't know what type of rice they use, so make your own at home. For 1 cup rice flour, grind a scant 3/4 cup (3/4 c. minus 1 T.) short-grain rice or 3/4 cup long-grain rice. An interesting use for rice flour: If you want to make really crunchy cookies, you can substitute part of the wheat flour for rice flour. -Grainlady Chinese Almond Cookies (source: The Splendid Grain by Rebecca Wood) Makes 24 5 T. unsalted butter 1/2 c. Sucanat or packed light brown sugar 1 large egg 1/2 t. almond extract 1-1/2 c. brown rice flour 1/4 t. sea salt 18 blanched almonds 1 large egg yolk Preheat the oven to 350Â°F. Grease a cookie sheet (or line with parchment paper) and set aside. Cream the butter and Sucanat in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg and almond extract. Stir in the flour and salt until well mixed. (The dough may be baked immediately or refrigerated, tightly covered, for up to 5 days.) Roll the dough into walnut-size balls. Place 2-inches apart on the cookie sheet. Flatten with your fingertips. Press in almond half into the center of each cookie. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until lightly golden. Cool on wire racks. (May be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.)
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Lars
15 years ago
I don't know a sub that would be as crisp as rice flour. I add rice flour to my cracker recipe to make them crisp, but I think any type of bran would also be a good sub, such as rice bran, oat bran, etc. You might consider using Rice Chex or Corn Chex cereal, if it does not contain wheat. You can even use potato flour, which I buy at a Japanese market.

If you are trying to substitute for Matzo, then I would look at some breakfast cereals that are gluten free. Just make sure that they do not contain sugar or spices, as that would not be good for latkes. You could possibly use crushed corn chips, if you want a Southwestern flavor. I haven't tried this, and so it is just speculative.

Lars
lindac
15 years ago
Many people use potato starch in latkes....so I am sure rice flour would work!
Linda C
coconut_nj
15 years ago
I think the rice flour would be perfect in them. Maybe even better than regular flour. And the sweet potato and/or zucchini latkes are both nice ways to do them and usually appreciated. Pretty too. I tend to do both since I like the contrast in colors on the plate.
granjan
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for the input. I hadn't thought about potato starch, I guess cuz I've never used it. I have used rice flour before but it was ages ago and I can't remember what it was for. I also see it in the bins at my market every week so it came to mind.

Never thought of making my own, Grainlady. But given how dull the blades of my spice grinder are I think I'll buy it. I', afraid it's time for a new one, the cardamon ended up a little crunchy in my Pepperkakker.
jessyf
15 years ago
I wonder what cornstarch would be like. I go through boxes of the stuff to use as coating for Japanese chicken cutlets (chicken karaage), makes 'em really crunchy.

'Shiksa Latke Supper'. Love it.
caboodle
15 years ago
This is totally off the subject of Latkes, but it is a really good recipe using rice flour if you have leftover. My husband loves this.

Tempura Batter

Ingredients

3/4 cup beer (do not use a dark beer!)
3/4 cup rice flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional or to taste)
vegetable oil (for deep frying)
seasoning salt

Directions

In a bowl whisk beer with the rice flour until very smooth.
Add in salt and garlic powder and cayenne (if using).
Let sit out at room temperature for 10 minutes.
Heat oil to 375 degrees.
Dredge the fish or veggies into the batter coating completely with batter, letting any excess drip off.
Deep-fry turning once until golden (about 3 minutes).
Transfer to a piece of brown paper (a brown paper bag will do for this!).
Season with seasoning salt.

Judi

Here is a link that might be useful: tempura batter

Rice flour in the latkes?

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Rice flour in the latkes?

Comments (8)

grainlady_ks

trsinc

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Lars

lindac

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caboodle

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