Gluten Free Flour

Gluten free cooking needs more than one flour. Buckwheat flour, known as kuttu ka atta in Hindi, is ground from a seed unrelated to wheat and has an earthy, slightly bitter flavour that suits pancakes, pooris and fasting dishes. Cassava flour is made from the whole dried root and is soft and neutral, a good base for flatbreads. Potato starch, sold as farina, adds lightness and binding to bakes, and gluten free chakki atta is a ready blend for rotis.

Only packs labelled gluten free are made for a gluten free diet, so anyone with coeliac disease should check every label before buying. For everyday wheat free rotis, a gluten free atta blend is the easiest start; mixing buckwheat or cassava flour with a little potato starch gives softer results. Heera is the name behind most of these flours on our shelf.

Gluten free doughs dry out quickly, so knead with warm water, keep the dough covered with a damp cloth, and roll between two sheets of baking paper. Store these flours sealed, as buckwheat in particular turns stale. For traditional wheat free breads, see millet flour and farali flour within millet and gluten free flour.