Rice flour is a finely textured flour used in many ways. It can be used to thicken soups, make elasticity in batters and a crispiness in frying batters. It is universally used in India to make savory idlis and dosas and cooked with coconut to make appam. Also used in Indian to make decorative motifs called kolam and mixed with color dyes to make face masks used in historic Kathakali dancing.