Rice flour is a form of flour made from finely milled rice.
It is distinct from rice starch, which is usually produced by steeping rice in lye.
Rice flour is a common substitute for wheat flour.
The rice flour is also used as a thickening agent in recipes that are refrigerated or frozen since it inhibits liquid separation.
The key difference between rice flour and wheat flour is that the rice flour is completely gluten-free while the wheat flour contains gluten, which irritates the digestive systems of some people.
Rice flour is made from ground raw rice and is used to make rice noodles and some pancakes, such as South Indian appams.
It can be used to thicken soups and stews, as well as providing an alternative to wheat flour in cakes and biscuits.
However, it's gluten-free so can't be used to make yeasted loaves of bread.