Soy Flour
What it is
Very high-protein flour from soybeans, sold full-fat or defatted; pale cream to yellow. Gluten-free.
How it's made
Soybeans are cleaned, (often) de-hulled, sometimes lightly roasted, then milled; defatted soy flour is a byproduct of oil extraction. Kinako is a Japanese variant: roasted soybean flour, nutty and toasty.
Flavor profile
Beany and rich (raw/full-fat) or nutty and toasty (kinako); defatted soy flour is milder.
Culinary uses
A dough conditioner and protein/moisture booster in commercial and gluten-free baking (it helps retain moisture and tenderize); Japanese kinako dusts mochi, dango, and warabimochi and flavors sweets and kinako milk. As a high-protein, high-fat flour it enriches and softens but builds no structure.
Regional variations
Western baking (functional additive) vs. East Asian kinako (a flavor and coating in its own right).
Cultural & historical context
Soy is the defining legume of East Asian food culture, and roasted soy flour (kinako) is a centuries-old element of Japanese confectionery (wagashi), carrying a nostalgic, traditional flavor.
Reference notes
Tags: `legume`, `gluten-free`, `soy`, `high-protein`, `kinako`. Related ingredients: [Pea Flour], [Lupin Flour], [Chickpea Flour]. Related cuisines: Japanese (kinako), modern Western. Suggested links: → Kinako, → Soy & tofu, → Mochi.