Is Indian Food Gluten-Free? A Dish-by-Dish Guide
Published
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Indian food gluten-free?
Much of it is. Rice is the staple across most of India, curries are thickened with onion, tomato and ground nuts rather than flour, and lentils and gram flour do much of the work. The main sources of gluten are the wheat breads, the Indo-Chinese dishes, most chaat, and asafoetida, which is usually cut with wheat flour.
Is naan gluten-free?
No. Naan is made from refined wheat flour. Roti and chapati are made from whole wheat, which is still wheat, so they aren't gluten-free either. Rice is the gluten-free alternative.
Is dal gluten-free?
The lentils are, but many dals contain asafoetida, which is usually sold cut with wheat flour to stop it caking. Pure and rice-flour versions exist. It's worth asking specifically, since many kitchens don't realize their asafoetida contains wheat.
Is asafoetida gluten-free?
Pure asafoetida resin is, but most commercial asafoetida is cut with wheat flour as a carrier. Rice-flour and certified gluten-free versions are available. This is the most common hidden source of gluten in Indian cooking.
Is biryani gluten-free?
Yes. Biryani is rice, meat or vegetables, and spices, with no wheat involved. It's generally the best gluten-free order on an Indian menu, since it's a complete dish that doesn't need bread.
Is dosa gluten-free?
Yes. Dosa is made from a fermented batter of rice and lentils. Rava dosa is the exception, since it's made with semolina, which is wheat. Idli and uttapam are also gluten-free.
Are momos gluten-free?
No. Momo wrappers are made from wheat flour, so no variety of momo, steamed, fried, jhol or chilli, is gluten-free.
Is gobi manchurian gluten-free?
No. Soy sauce contains wheat, and the whole Indo-Chinese section, manchurian dishes, chilli chicken and paneer, hakka noodles, chow mein, relies on it. The noodle dishes also use wheat noodles.
Is pakora gluten-free?
The batter is gram flour, so the recipe is. The practical problem is that pakoras and samosas are very often fried in the same oil, so if you have celiac disease the shared fryer matters more than the ingredients.
Can I eat safely at an Indian restaurant with celiac disease?
It depends on the kitchen. A restaurant making naan all day has flour dust, a shared tandoor and often a shared fryer, so it can't offer a dedicated gluten-free environment. Ask whether the fryer is shared, whether the tandoor is used for naan, and whether the kitchen will use a clean pan and fresh utensils, then decide based on the answers.
