Gluten Free
A lot of Indian cooking is gluten free before you change a thing, making it an excellent cuisine if you want to avoid wheat. Lentils, rice, gram flour and tapioca do most of the heavy lifting in Indian cuisine, and in particular, in gluten-free Indian cooking. Easy Sabudana Khichdi is made from tapioca pearls and is naturally free of both gluten and dairy. Meanwhile, Vegan Besan Ladoo uses gram flour, so it needs no substitutions at all. Other dishes include Easy Vegan Dal Makhani and Masala Makhana, which are everyday staples that happen to fit a gluten-free diet. For dessert, Carrot Halwa Trifle and Vegan Rice Kheer are both gluten free without trying. Browse everything gluten free below.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Besan ladoo is gluten free because it is made from gram flour, which comes from chickpeas rather than wheat. My vegan besan ladoo is gluten free and dairy free at once. Rava ladoo is the exception: rava is semolina, which is wheat, so it is not gluten free. Meanwhile, boondi ladoo is gram flour based and safe. If you are buying ladoo rather than making them yourself, check for wheat flour used as a binder.
Dal makhani is naturally gluten free as it includes black lentils, kidney beans, tomatoes and spices, none of which contain wheat. In the case of this dish, the things to watch are asafoetida, which is very often cut with wheat flour, and the naan or roti served alongside. To keep this meal gluten free, serve it with rice or with a gluten free flatbread.
Gajar ka halwa, the carrot version, is gluten free. It is carrots, milk or a plant milk, sugar and cardamom, with nuts on top. Our carrot halwa trifle is gluten free and soy free. Sooji or rava halwa is a different matter, since it uses semolina, which is a type of wheat. When a recipe just says halwa, check which base it uses to ensure that it is safe for a gluten-free diet.
Yes. Poha is flattened rice, so it contains no wheat at all. My poha recipe is gluten free as written. The usual risks are cross contamination at the mill and the mustard seed or asafoetida in the tempering. Look for poha labelled gluten free if you are coeliac rather than gluten sensitive.
More than most people expect. Anything built on gram flour, rice, coconut or milk solids is usually fine: besan ladoo, burfi, carrot halwa and rice kheer are all gluten free. Avoid anything using rava or semolina, and anything fried in shared oil. Store bought mithai is the risky category, since binders are rarely declared clearly.