Flattened rice is a type of
rice
Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima
''Oryza glaberrima'', commonly known as African rice, is one of the two domesticated rice species. It was first domesticated and grown i ...
dish made from raw, toasted, or
parboiled
Parboiling (or leaching) is the partial or semi boiling of food as the first step in cooking. The word is from the Old French 'parboillir' (to boil thoroughly) but by mistaken association with 'part' it has acquired its current meaning.
The wo ...
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
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, south-eastern region of Asia, consistin ...
and
South Asia
South Asia is the southern subregion of Asia, which is defined in both geographical and ethno-cultural terms. The region consists of the countries of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.;;;;;;;; ...
.
It is also known variously as rice flakes, beaten rice, pounded rice, pressed rice
or chipped rice.
South Asia
![Poha](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Poha.jpg)
Flattened rice is a breakfast staple in South Asia where it is known as ''poha'', ''pauwa'', ''avalakki'', ''chivda'', or ''aval'' among many other names. It is particularly popular in
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
,
Nepal
Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne,
सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is mai ...
, and
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
. ''Poha'' is made by de-husking rice grains and then
parboiling
Parboiling (or leaching) is the partial or semi boiling of food as the first step in cooking. The word is from the Old French 'parboillir' (to boil thoroughly) but by mistaken association with 'part' it has acquired its current meaning.
The wo ...
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.
''Poha'' can be eaten as snacks or cooked into various sweet, savory, or spicy dishes.
Southeast Asia
Cambodia
Flattened rice is known in
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...
as ''ambok''. It is made by toasting newly-harvested rice (with husks on) on a
wok
A wok (; Pinyin: ; Cantonese ) is a deep round-bottomed cooking pan from China. It is believed to be derived from the South Asian karahi. It is common in China and similar pans are found in parts of East, South and Southeast Asia, as well as ...
, then pounding the heated rice with a large wooden
mortar and pestle
Mortar and pestle is a set of two simple tools used from the Stone Age to the present day to prepare ingredients or substances by crushing and grinding them into a fine paste or powder in the kitchen, laboratory, and pharmacy. The ''mortar'' () ...
until flat. The husks are then removed. Ambok plays a very significant role in the Cambodian Water Festival (
Bon Om Touk
Bon Om Touk ( km, បុណ្យអុំទូក, , lit. "Boat Racing Festival"), also known as the Cambodian Water Festival, is celebrated in late October or early November, often corresponding with the lunar Mid-Autumn Festival. It marks th ...
). They are commonly eaten mixed with bananas, palm sugar, and coconut water; or roasted together with small shrimp.
Philippines
![Duman2jf](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Duman2jf.jpg)
Flattened rice in the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
is called ''
pinipig
''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 ...
''. It is made using immature
glutinous rice
Glutinous rice (''Oryza sativa var. glutinosa''; also called sticky rice, sweet rice or waxy 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 ...
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.
A notable variant of the ''pinipig'' from
Pampanga
Pampanga, officially the Province of Pampanga ( pam, Lalawigan ning Pampanga; tl, Lalawigan ng Pampanga ), is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Lying on the northern shore of Manila Bay, Pampanga is bordered by Tarlac ...
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
Santa Rita, officially the Municipality of Santa Rita ( pam, Balen ning Santa Rita; tl, Bayan ng 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 ...
.
Thailand
Flattened rice is known as ''
khao mao Khao may refer to:
* Khao, Iran ( fa, خاو), a village in Kurdistan Province, Iran
* Khao ( th, เขา, pronounced ), the term for 'mountain' in Central and Southern Thailand; see List of mountains in Thailand
* Khao ( th, ข้าว, pronoun ...
'' in
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is bo ...
. Similar to the Philippine variant, it uses immature
glutinous rice
Glutinous rice (''Oryza sativa var. glutinosa''; also called sticky rice, sweet rice or waxy 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 ...
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.
Vietnam
![Com](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/Com.JPG)
Flattened rice in
Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
is known as ''
cốm
Cốm or simply called green rice is a flattened rice, 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.Ferment ...
''. It is also green in color. It is made by toasting immature rice grains in low heat and then pounding it flat in a mortar with a pestle. The husk is removed afterwards via
winnowing
Winnowing is a process by which chaff is separated from grain. It can also be used to remove pests from stored grain. Winnowing usually follows threshing in grain preparation. In its simplest form, it involves throwing the mixture into the ...
. 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
Autumn, also known as fall in American English and Canadian English, is one of the four temperate seasons on Earth. Outside the tropics, autumn marks the transition from summer to winter, in September ( Northern Hemisphere) or March ( Sou ...
season.
Myanmar
Flattened rice in Myanmar is known as Mont San. In Lower Myanmar, it is concerned with offering to sea water god 'U Shin Gyi'. Mont San is also consumed in the northern Myanmar region.
See also
*
Rolled oats
Rolled oats are a type of lightly processed whole-grain food. Traditionally, they are made from oat groats that have been dehusked and steamed, before being ''rolled'' into flat flakes under heavy rollers and then stabilized by being lightly t ...
*
Puffed rice
Puffed rice and popped rice (or pop 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 popu ...
*
Rice Krispies
Rice Krispies (known as Rice Bubbles in Australia and New Zealand) is a breakfast cereal, marketed by Kellogg's in 1927 and released to the public in 1928. Rice Krispies are made of crisped rice (rice and sugar paste that is formed into rice ...
*
List of rice dishes This is a list of rice dishes from all over the world, arranged alphabetically. Rice is the seed of the monocot plants ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). As a cereal grain, it is the most widely consumed staple fo ...
References
{{Varieties of rice
Breakfast cereals
Rice dishes