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20 ways to cook for carb-loving coeliacs

Cooking for a gluten-intolerant diet doesn't mean missing out on all the good hearty stuff.

Asparagus, polenta and feta pie (kourkouto)

Asparagus, polenta and feta pie (kourkouto) Source: Alan Benson

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Get rizzi with it

Many wheat-loving cuisines have plenty of rice-equivalent dishes. Swap carbonara for risotto, ramen for rice noodles or wraps for banh xeo.
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An easy and impressive serving option.
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*Just remember to check gluten in your Asian cooking sauces before serving up this stir fry to coeliacs.
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These crispy pancakes are made with rice flour and coconut milk. Wrap a bit of pancake and filling in a lettuce leaf and dip in nuoc cham.
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Polenty of options

The humble yellow corn kernel can stand-in for anything from quiche pastry to sandwich bread with a little thought.
Arepas make a great substitute for bread slices, or just a great snack stuffed with cheese and beans.
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Kathy Tsaples' recipe uses cooked polenta mixed with a little gluten-free flour and olive oil to form tart bases.
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Sure, potato chips are great, but have you ever had a polenta chip? Trust us. It's good.
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This slab of cheesey green polenta pie makes a great picnic addition, easy lunch, side dish or main meal.
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Potatoes gonna potate

Just when you thought they couldn’t get any better, spuds came and held down the meatball fort, making a great replacement for breadcrumbs. They’re also not terrible mashed, boiled, baked or fried.
Grated potato with the water squeezed out stands in for breadcrumbs in Helen Tzougantos' Italian meatball recipe.
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Potato gets a little bit fancy when layered, baked and neatly sliced.
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Beef up plain roast potatoes with a bit of spice. These are great with a dollop of yoghurt and a lamb chop or two.
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Have your cake and eat it too.
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Grain drain

Other lesser-known grains and pulses, like chickpea flour, quinoa and buckwheat (not wheat) also offer fine substitutes or just great options when used in dishes from regions who have utilized them for quite some time.
Crunchy quinoa flakes give this crumbed chicken a slightly nutty note.
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You can find chickpea flour at many Indian supermarkets labelled as 'besan'.
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Swap bulghur wheat or cous cous out for quinoa.
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Despite its deceptive name, buckwheat doesn't contain any gluten so is a great chewy noodle substitute.
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Don’t forget dessert!

Rice puddings, polenta shortbread and just a good old-fashioned cake with gluten-free flour are sure to please anyone, coeliac or not! And if in doubt, just remember, there’s no gluten in ice cream.
This one goes down a treat with a cup of tea after dinner, or with morning coffee the day after.
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This traditional Filipino breakfast dish doubles as a carb-lovers dessert.
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Yoghurt keeps this lush blackberry cake light and moist.
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Close to the classic, this mango sticky rice recipe is taken to new heights by quickly grilling fresh mango cheeks.
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SBS Food is a 24/7 foodie channel for all Australians, with a focus on simple, authentic and everyday food inspiration from cultures everywhere. NSW stream only.
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3 min read
Published 22 June 2020 11:36am
Updated 24 June 2020 11:56am
By SBS Food bite-sized
Source: SBS


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