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Forbidden on Passover are: wheat, barley, oat, spelt or rye flour which have come in contact with water or moisture, and were not fully baked within eighteen minutes from the moment of contact. Yeast and other leavening "agents," however, are not forbidden on Passover and are frequently used in Passover cooking. Legumes, such as corn and rice were not taken on Passover, because their textures are similar to the five above mentioned grains. These are known as kitniyot. Some have the custom to peel all the fruits and vegetables that they eat on passover.
Passover matzah, eaten in order to remind people of how quickly their ancestors fled Egypt (which happened in such a flurry that there was no time to let bread rise), must be made from one of the five grains specified above. Additionally, matzah is meant to symbolize the “poor man’s bread,” a reminder to be humble and not to forget what life was like for those enslaved.