Gluten Free in India? What You Can Eat, What you Should Definitely be Avoiding, and Some Food Inspirations for Non Celiacs!

When I first found out I had the big C (Celiac disease) I was worried. What will I eat? What can I eat? and what do I have to quit immediately? The majority of the meals I cook on a daily basis are usually Indian dishes so I had to go through every spice, all my flours (yes there is more than one) and seasoning I had to see what I could and could not eat any longer.

But I was also relieved! I have suffered with so many digestive issues all my life with no answers. The doctors kept saying "drink more water, eat more fiber" but I knew I was already taking in plenty of water and plenty of fiber and had a healthy diet in general. I thought it was IBS-C according to my symptoms but even when I changed my diet it did not help. Bloating was part of my life and really disrupted a lot in my system including constant bloating, horrendous pain, feeling sluggish and tired, not to mention moody and because of all the discomfort, it affected my ability to engage in social events and outtings with my friends. I looked like a slim pregnant woman without the pregnancy because of the Abdominal distension. I was (and still am) Taking digestive enzymes with every meal and using a pro/prebotic with fiber supplement. It all helped but it did not clear my system entirely.

I was getting tired of the doctor visit's with no answers and was getting ready to just give up. I requested more testing and found I had very low iron. It was so low in fact, that my doctor had asked "are you feeling okay?" "are you a Vegan?" NOPE not vegan, consume tons of iron rich foods from meat and veg etc. Feeling tired as per usual, falling asleep at my desk at times which became the norm. I've had a hysterectomy last year so we knew it wasn't that, but where was the iron going? Come to find out low Iron or "iron malabsorption" happens to be part of Celiac, as well as lactose intolerance, which I also thought I had.

It wasn't until I did the 23andMe DNA test in late 2023 (for fun!) and found out I had an increased risk for Celiac. I started digging deeper into the symptoms which I had most of and the average age of diagnosis happens to be 45. I recall growing up and watching my mother suffering from all the same issues. I got tested and there was my answer. The "ah ha" moment!

Side Note: I highly recommend the 23andme DNA Test! Not only does it give you some important health insights but you can get in touch with lost relatives, unknown relatives and really cool things you didn't know about yourself like me not just being Ukrainian and Danish but also being mixed with Balkan and Mongolian for example. VERY COOL and explains where my obsessive love of Turkish Art and design comes from!

I will reiterate what I had said in my Do's and Don'ts blog and say I am not a Doctor or dietitian and take no responsibility for the information I am giving here. This is my own experience and you will need to use at your own caution if you are following my routine. Just remember nothing can be guaranteed and there may be some cross contamination but you run that risk at any restaurant in any place in the world unless its a dedicated gluten free establishment.

Now moving on to foods....

I thought I'd compile a list of things that are supposed to be gluten free in India so you can have ideas on what to gravitate towards when dining. I've focused on the most popular dishes that are more common to tourists and easy to come by.

What you CAN eat... "Probably"

Dosa - A savory light crepe filled with the most wonderfully spiced mashed potato's inside. usually comes with 3 different chutneys and a bowl of sambar (soup like dish). There is a million and one different types of filling but my two favorites are Onion, and Masala Dosa. I am used to the long roll type but as you can see, there are other styles of Dosa which are all equally delicious! It's gluten free and vegetarian.

Idly - Dosa's little cousin! Small soft and fluffy rices cakes that also come with chutneys and sambar. They are made with rice flour so gluten free and vegetarian. You can enjoy Punjabi Chaat by swapping the gol gappe with Idly to make it gluten free, shown in the middle photo. It covered in Dahi (yoghurt), chaat masala, tamarind chutney, chili sauce (if you like the spice), boondi, and cilantro.

Poha - A seasoned flattened rice dish that is sweet and savory. It usually has onions, raisins, curry leaves and peanuts with a crunchy snack (bhujia) sprinkled on top. Mostly enjoyed at breakfast time. You can also enjoy Bhujia on it's own as a snack. You'll find it at markets, shops, gas stations, and street vendors. Be careful, It's pretty addictive!

Pakora - Veg Pakora are a very popular snack and you'll find it mostly everywhere. It usually consists of onion and potato with spinach but can different variations like Cauliflower etc. It is made with Besan/Gram flour (Chickpea flour) so it is gluten free. Always check beforehand of course in case of flour mixing for any reason.

Fish Pakora - This one you will have to ask. I LOVE Amritsari and Afghani fish Pakora, they are life! But this one will prove to be tricky and you MUST ask what flour they have used for the batter. Some use Besan, some use corn, some use rice and some a mix of one or the other with wheat flour.

Makki di Roti - This is more of a winter dish but you may still find it in some restaurants regardless. It's made from cornmeal so naturally gluten free and It's eaten with Saag which is mustard greens, bathua leaves, spinach and spices, Delicious I might add!!!

Papadam - Or Papad is one of my fav's! I don't know what it is about this one but I do love it! Its light and crispy and made from Gram/Besan flour so it's naturally gluten free. It's not foldable but you can get away with using it to scoop instead of roti or Naan.

Biryani - They're all naturally gluten free. There is Veg Biryani, mutton Biryani, and chicken Biryani. If your'e a meat eater, don't pass this up! I recently had some mutton Biryani in a restaurant in my hometown and although it wasn't labelled "gluten free" I indulged along with my GlutenEase tablet and was perfectly fine. Ask about Hing in this one also.

Mutton (Can be Goat or Lamb), Veg and Chicken Biryani.

Tandoori - Any tandoori meat or grilled meats in general are typically gluten free.

Curries - Most curries are naturally gluten free. Curries both veg and non veg and many different varieties like Chickpeas, Potato, Paneer and with meat they're usually chicken, fish or mutton (Goat/Lamb).

Chicken Kadai, Aloo Gosht (Mutton and potato) and Shahi Paneer (cheese).

Daal - There are a ton of different variations, some thicker and some soup like and all made with lentils, masala and onions. The most common being Yellow Daal (Daal Tadka) which happens to be my comfort food. Daal Makhani which is a thicker Daal with tons of butter (Makhani means Butter) and cream made with black lentils, my second favorite! Channa daal, Rajma.... this list goes on. Make sure the daal you want to eat doesn’t have any barley in it. Beware of Barley Palao - Barley dosa, barley daal. You will have to be careful with this one although I haven't come across this before but it IS indeed used in some Daal's.

Daal Tadka, Daal Makhani and Rajma.

And don't forget the sweets!

Kheer - Indian rice pudding and happens to be the original!

Kaju Katli - Love this sweet! It's light yet rich and not as sweet as some of the sweets. Made from Cashews. Rasmalai - made with milk, a curdling agent, sugar, nuts, saffron and cardamoms. Carrot Halwa - Made with freshly grated carrots, milk, sugar, cardamom, khoya (dried evaporated milk solids.), and ghee, Yum!!

Kaju Katli, Rasmalai and Carrot Halwa.

Kesar Kalakand - an Indian milk dessert made with full fat milk, sugar and cardamom powder. This one made me over the moon happy since it is my #1 favorite sweet! Milk Cake - With a unique grainy texture and caramelized milky flavour. It's soft, rich, dense, moist and melts in your mouth. It's mainly made of milk and sugar, topped with nuts. Burfi - When your in the sweets shop, just ask! There are tons of varieties and besides the basic ingredients (gluten free), certain people might make them differently and add a touch of wheat flour for binding purposes. You'll need to ask.

Kesar Kalakand, Milk Cake, and Coconut Burfi.

What to absolutely avoid eating!

Asafoetida or aka Hing! Always ask if they have used it in any savory dish, It's not a gluten free ingredient! In it's natural form it is but it's usually mixed with wheat flour to prevent it form caking in the container. Sometimes rice flour is used but better steer clear, the chef may not even know which flour was used in it. And always ask about Wheat flour in any sweets to be on the safer side.

If you're Celiac or gluten intolerant, the Foe in Asafoetida is REAL.

All the breads! Cause Duh! Roti (chapati), All Naan, Aloo Paratha, Latcha Paratha (all Parathas), Poori/Chole Bhature, the Chole (chickpeas) is okay alone, and Pav Bhaji which is also okay alone. Pictures are in order according to mention.

Gol Gappe - Unfortunately Gol Gappe or "Pani puri" is off limits. Although my husband loves to drink just the water (very common) I need the whole combo. There is a common misconception that "Sooji" Gol gappe is okay but it's not, it still cut with wheat. I have to make my own at home with gluten free flour as Gol Gappe are a staple in my home. Below is also some Gol Gappe Chaat, though DELICIOUS, It's unfortunately a big NO.

Katchori - I feel like every state has their own specialty Kachori. I have tried them before I knew about the Celiac and they are delicious but sadly they are all wheat flour and are a No No!

Samosa - Sorry no, it's made from wheat flour as well. MoMo's - The most amazing little dumplings filled with either veggies or chicken. Manchuian - Or any Noodles really including Seviayaan! It's a vermicelli noodle but unlike its cousin who rice based and is mostly used in Vietnamese dishes, Seviayaan is made from wheat. It's basically a noodle milk pudding similar to Kheer. The very popular Maggie is off limits too.

Samosa, Momo's, and Manchurian with Noodles.

Jalebi - My beloved Jalebi is also made with wheat. I would almost risk it for just a taste of some hot and crisp Amritsari Jalebi! I prefer the golden yellow one's over orange which is just food colouring but I still find it changes the taste. Imarti is also wheat, it looks like a thicker Jalebi. Galab Jumun - Most of the "Ball" desserts contain wheat. Sometimes you can find Coconut ladoo which can be gluten free as well as Boondi.

Jalebi, Imarti, and Galub Jamun.

Ladoo's - These are everywhere! The most common given sweet in India. For special occasions, congratulatory celebrations and welcoming people home. They are extremely popular and easily made with minimal ingredients making them very accessible. You CAN find some that are gluten free but it's tricky. Boondi Ladoo is gluten free!

Mootichoor ladoo, Rava ladoo, and Boondi Ladoo.

I hope my Food list has you drooling and ready to dive into all the culinary magic and delectable sweets India has to offer! And to serve as a guide for what you should avoid and what to gear towards that is more or less "safe" with Celiac or a wheat allergy.

I will say it again! That I always recommend a walking tour with food guide in general because they know the locality and the food stalls that won't make you sick even if you have no restrictions. If you are Celiac or gluten intolerant, Getting a food tour guide would be the best and safest option for you. You can explain your allergy and restrictions to the guide and let them do the questioning for you. Be sure to not only mention wheat but don't forget Barley and the Asafoetida (Hing) as well.