5 Ideal Rice Flour Substitute for Kimchi

A rice flour substitute for kimchi is a great way to make this traditional dish more affordable. It requires only six common ingredients, supplemented with rice flour for texture. 

Rice flour find in many grocery stores or Asian markets, but sometimes it’s challenging to locate.

This alternative aims to make a rice flour substitute with a similar flavor and texture as traditional kimchi.

What rice flour for kimchi? why use rice flour in kimchi

Kimchi, a popular fermented dish in Korea, is made with napa cabbage, radish, green onion, garlic, and gochujang, which is mixed with rice flour. The main seasonings are salt and fish sauce.

What does rice flour do in Kimchi?

Kimchi is a fermented food that has been made in Korea for about 2,000 years. This is a very well fact that fermented foods include beneficial microbes to the human body.

kimchi made with rice flour does not spoil easily.

Kimchi made with rice flour does not spoil easily, even during the hottest months of summer. This is because lactic acid produces alcohol, which acts as a natural preservative.

The most Important is rice flour with gochugaru paste to make a seasoning paste for spicy kimchi. Try Best Gochujang substitute for Kimchi.

5 Best Rice Flour Substitutes for Kimchi

1. WHEAT STARCH is an Excellent Rice Flour Alternative for Kimchi 

Wheat starch is a white powder made from wheat flour (obtained from grinding wheat and removing the starchy parts). It’s mostly used as a thickening in sauces, soups, and stews.

Wheat starch can be substituted for rice flour in kimchi with a few simple steps. 

First, rinse the wheat starch in cold water until the water runs clear. 

Then, add the wheat starch to a pot of boiling water and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the wheat starch thickens. 

Finally, add the cooked wheat starch to your kimchi recipe and enjoy!

Use the same amount of wheat starch in place of rice flour. There are a few ways to substitute wheat starch for rice flour in a recipe. 

Another way is to use two-thirds of a cup of wheat starch for every cup of rice flour. 

Even you can use wheat starch to make gluten-free pasta or baked goods. It has roughly the same consistency as other starch thickeners like corn starch or tapioca flour.

2. MOCHIKO FlOUR-Perfect Substitute for Rice flour to Make Kimchi

Mochiko flour is a type of rice flour made from sweet rice. It is also known by other names such as mochi flour, sweet rice powder, or glutinous rice powder.

It is a thick and sticky flour often used in Japanese cuisine. It has a sweet flavor and is known for its unique texture.

Mochiko is often used to make different Japanese sweets such as Daifuku, mochi ice cream, and mochi cakes. Still, you can easily substitute mochiko flour for rice flour in kimchi.

To make the substitution, simply use 1/2 cup of mochiko flour for every 1 cup of rice flour called kimchi or in the recipe. Mochiko flour is available at most Asian grocery stores, and it can also be ordered online.

Besides kimchi, you can use mochiko flour in different cooking ingredients, including stir-fried dishes, steamed buns soup, etc.

To substitute mochiko flour for rice flour when making kimchi, it is essential to use flour that will thicken the mixture and help it to ferment properly. 

Mochiko flour is a good choice for this, and it can be substituted for rice flour in most recipes. Check some mochiko flour alternatives to make mochi.

3. Replace ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR For Rice Flour in Kimchi 

When making kimchi, all-purpose flour can be used in place of rice flour. Rice flour will give the kimchi a slightly better texture and make it a bit crunchier, but all-purpose flour will work just fine.

All-purpose flour is a type of flour that can be used to bake a variety of bread, cookies, and cakes. Use 1/2 cup all-purpose flour for every cup of rice flour.

It is made from a blend of wheat flour, meaning that it has a higher gluten content than cake flour or pastry flour. 

All-purpose flour can also be used to make a roux, which is a thickening agent commonly used in sauces and gravies.

4. POTATO STARCH- Easy Alternative for Rice Flour

Potato starch is another good option for rice flour, and it is made from potatoes that are cooked, then mashed and dried into a powder.

It’s used as an emulsifier to thicken sauces, soups, gravies, and other dishes. It can also be used as a thickener for casseroles or stews. 

potato starch is an easy alternative to rice flour.

When substituting potato starch for rice flour in kimchi, the following ingredients are needed:

-1 cup of potato starch

-1 cup of cold water

-1 tablespoon of salt

-1 tablespoon of sugar

-1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger

-1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

-1/2 Napa cabbage, cut into 1-inch pieces

-3 carrots, peeled and grated

-1 cup of white vinegar

-3 cloves garlic, minced

-1 small onion, minced

Direction:

1. Mix the potato starch, water, salt, sugar, ginger, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl to make the kimchi. Mix well and set aside.

2. Put the cabbage and carrots in a large bowl. Pour the vinegar over the top, adding the garlic, onion, and potato starch mixture. Stir well to combine.

3. Transfer the kimchi to a glass jar with a lid. Let sit at room temperature for two days before consuming, and store up to one week in the refrigerator.

Read More- Potato Flour Alternatives

5. SKIP IT

If you don’t feel comfortable with other ingredients or find other alternatives for rice flour-making kimchi paste, just skip it.

Read More- Fish sauce alternatives in Kimchi

Can You make kimchi without rice flour?

Yes. Rice flour is an essential ingredient of kimchi, which is mixed with many others. Without rice flour, the taste and texture of kimchi would be different.

But if you want to make kimchi without rice flour, you can try it with other flours. if You don’t have kimchi try these alternatives instead.

Wrap Up on Substitutes for Rice Flour In Kimchi

I hope your Kimchi will turn out excellent with those substitutes listed above. If you found it useful in your search for a replacement for Rice Flour.

Don’t forget to share it with your close one, and Please leave me a comment on which replacement of Rice flour you like the most & any alternates not mentioned in this list. 

Q1. Can I use cornstarch in Kimchi instead of rice flour?

I have been using rice flour for years in my Kimchi, with good results. 

I wonder how badly the cornstarch will affect the fermentation process. I have never heard of anyone using cornstarch in their Kimchi. 

But believe me, it’s turned out not yet; the taste of kimchi also changed. So from me, it is a big NO to use cornstarch in Kimchi instead of rice flour.

Q2. Can you make rice flour with a mortar and pestle?

Yes, you can make rice flour using a mortar and pestle, the traditional way of grinding grains. It’s often used in Southeast Asia and India to make rice flours. 

To do so, simply combine the white rice with cool water in a mortar and pestle and grind until the grains have been pulverized into a light, white rice flour.

Rinse the mortar and pestle to eliminate any rice or other debris and repeat the process. After a few rounds, you will have excellent light rice flour. This may take some time, but it will be worth it. 

You can also dry the flour in the sun on a tray to keep it until you need it, especially if you plan on using it in another recipe.

Q3. What is the difference between rice flour and white flour?

White flour is highly refined and contains very little fiber, while rice flour has a high dietary fiber content.

One cup of white rice flour has 2.5 grams of fiber, or 10 percent of the daily value, whereas 1 cup of all-purpose flour has 0.8 g of fiber or 4 percent of the daily value.

Rice flour has 3 times as much fat as white flour. However, both are low in saturated fat. One cup of rice flour has 12 g of fat compared to one cup of white flour containing 3 g.

Q4. Can you use regular flour for kimchi?

Yes. You can use regular flour for kimchi. You can also use gluten-free flour if you have a gluten allergy. Flour can make kimchi more watery.

Q5. Tapioca flour for kimchi; Good or Bad Idea?

Tapioca (or cassava) is a root vegetable, and it’s also used as a thickening agent in many kinds of dishes. 

Tapioca flour or starch is very popular in gluten-free baking because it provides an elastic structure that makes it possible to make good bread even without using any gluten.
 
Tapioca flour can also be used as a thickening agent for sauces and gravy and make fruit-free jams. This is why many people buy tapioca flour or starch, but cassava flour (or tapioca starch) to make kimchi is not a good idea.

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