Kitniyot

thumb|Kitniyot in the market Kitniyot (, ) is a Hebrew word meaning legumes. During the Passover holiday, however, the word kitniyot (or kitniyos in Ashkenazi dialects) takes on a broader meaning to include grains and seeds such as rice, corn, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds, in addition to legumes such as beans, peas, and lentils.

The Torah prohibits Jews from eating chametz during Passover. Chametz is defined as leaven made from the "five species of grain" (wheat, barley, oats, rye, and spelt). Food made from any other species is not considered chametz. However, among Ashkenazi and some Sephardic customs, the custom (minhag) during Passover is to refrain from not only products of the five grains but also other grains and legumes, known as kitniyot, even though they are not chametz.