What Chinese Food is Gluten free ?

Are you going to order your Chinese food from your nearby Chinese restaurants or are you planning to go out to a Chinese restaurant? (The first option might be the best with this global pandemic). If so, you may be wondering if you’re following a gluten-free diet, What Chinese food  is  gluten free and what is not. Sometimes it is very difficult to find Chinese dishes from restaurants that are gluten-free.

Most Chinese food items and dishes have gluten containing ingredients. If you are allergic to gluten, you should prefer checking the ingredients thoroughly.

What is Gluten?

Gluten is a general name for the proteins found in wheat, rye, spelt, and barley. In other words “a group of seed storage proteins found in certain cereal grains”. Gluten is safe to consume, but it might have counter-reactions to people suffering from gluten sensitivity and celiac diseases. The two main proteins in gluten are glutenin and gliadin. Gliadin is responsible for most of the adverse health effects of gluten. Those people should avoid the consumption of gluten to keep away any serious health damages.

The lack of gluten in the body can increase the risk of essential nutrient deficiencies such as niacin, iron, folate, riboflavin etc. Gluten-free diets also contain less fiber, which is why they have a huge impact on digestive health.

Sauce contains gluten. So it is worthless if you forget that when you take your meal. Some popular Chinese sauces such as oyster sauce and hoisin sauce are often made with soy, so these are unsuitable. Fortune cookies and spring rolls also contain wheat unless otherwise stated.

How to Order Gluten-free Chinese Food

Looking at menus online before heading out to a restaurant is the time saving option to review what your options are and take time figuring out if there’s a possibility that you can make it work. Btw Thai food is also related to Chinese food culture.

First of all Ask for a Server Who Speaks Your Language Once you’ve found someone with whom you can reliably communicate, ask about thickeners in the sauces and ingredients of marinades. Those are the riskiest parts of the meal for those avoiding gluten.

Understanding the menu is very important. Many restaurants include information about gluten and gluten free dishes on their menus now. Even if the food is gluten you can make it a gluten free food. With a little cooperation from the restaurant.

For a dish to be 100% gluten-free, you’re going to need dedicated work and cooking utensils that haven’t come in contact with other gluten-containing ingredients.

At home, this isn’t a big deal, but when you’re at a restaurant, it can be pretty tricky to convince a cook who isn’t used to cooking this way to make an exception just for you. So if you can make your dish at home it will be a blessing. You may be lucky and have a restaurant near you that’s very attentive to people with gluten-free needs. To avoid gluten, choose simply prepared dishes, such as steamed vegetables, poultry, meat, seafood, or tofu. Always cross check with them first and ask if separate fryers are used to avoid cross contamination.

Gluten Foods to Avoid at Chinese Restaurants

With the following strategies, hope it might get easier to make your decisions correct next time. Many Asian restaurants will use gluten-free soy sauce to make your food if you request it. If not avoid the below mentioned. What common Chinese food is not gluten free ? lets find out;

1. Breaded meats or other breaded food
2. Sauce

Hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, Anything with soy sauce.

3. Noodles

Noodles such as ramen noodles, wheat noodles or egg noodles contain wheat and are unsafe for coeliacs. Rice noodles are the safest. 

4. Mock meats

Seitan is often used to make mock meat dishes, and it is not gluten free. Tempeh can often contain grains, so it’s better to avoid mock meat dishes.

5. Egg rolls and dumplings
6. Sides

Fortune cookies, and anything made with wonton wrappers.

16 Gluten-Free Chinese Foods

1. Gluten free Boiled and fried rice (all varieties)
2. Gluten free Sweet and sour chicken balls
3. Gluten free Plain tofu
4. Gluten free Noodles (Yi Mein)
5. Gluten free Prawn crackers
6. Gluten free Stir-fried dishes
7. Gluten free Chicken and sweetcorn soup
8. Gluten free Egg Drop soup
9. Gluten free Vegetable and bean curd soup
10. Gluten Free Chicken Lo Mein
11. Gluten free Dim Sum (rice flour wrappers)
12. Gluten free Spare ribs in honey or barbecue sauce
13. Gluten free Peking/crispy duck without the pancakes
14. Gluten free Roast belly pork
15. Gluten free Crispy chili Beef
16. Gluten free Omelets dishes

As I repeat “Gluten free” 14 times you have to mention clearly that you want your meal Gluten free. Otherwise the restaurant will provide you with the regular Chinese dish.

Easy Gluten free Chinese dishes to cook at home

Why not give it a try to prepare the above food items home. I just take out 3 of them with the recipe and directions to try out. It is always safe and easy to prepare your gluten free Chinese dishes at home specially in a pandemic like this (Covid-19). Keep in touch with us to get more recipes in future as well.

01.Gluten Free Sweet and Sour Chicken Balls

Ingredients

• ½ Cup cornstarch
• 3 Tbsp potato flour
• 1 Tbsp coconut flour
• 1 Tsp baking powder
• 4 Tbsp dairy free milk (or can substitute for water)
• 1 Egg, beaten (you can sub for 4 Tbsp milk)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Tsp garlic powder
• 1 Tbsp sesame oil, optional
• 2 Chicken breasts, diced
• Oil for frying

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat
2. Mix cornstarch with potato flour, coconut flour and baking powder
3. Incorporate salt and pepper and garlic powder
4. Slowly mix in milk, egg and sesame oil
5. Dip each chicken piece in the batter
6. Put everything into the pan with the hot oil
7. Fry for around 6 minutes or until golden and cooked

02.Gluten free Crispy Chili Beef

Ingredients

• 350g rump steak, sliced into thin strips
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium egg, lightly beaten
• 100g Juvela Gluten Free White Mix
• 3tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1cm piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• Small onion, sliced
• 1 red pepper, sliced into strips
• 1 small carrot, cut into thin strips
• 4 spring onions, finely chopped
• A pinch of chili flakes
• Juice of a lime
• 5 tbsp soy sauce*
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1tbsp hot chili sauce
• 1tbsp sesame seeds

Directions

1. Season the beef strips with salt and pepper, and lightly coat them in the Gluten Free Mix,
2. Dip in egg, then coat again in Mix.
3. Heat the oil in a large frying pan and pan fry the beef strips for a couple of minutes each side until lightly browned.
4. Transfer onto a baking tray and pop into a preheated oven around 20minutes until crispy.
5. The sauce: heat a little oil in a large pan and fry the garlic and ginger for a couple of minutes, then add the onions, peppers, carrots, spring onion and chilli flakes.
6. Stir in the lime juice, soy sauce, rice vinegar and honey and simmer gently for a few minutes, then add chilli sauce (optional).
7. Remove the beef strips from the oven and add to the pan to coat with the sauce.
8. Perfect served sprinkled with sesame seeds and with egg fried rice and sweet chilli dipping sauce.

03.Gluten-Free Chicken Lo Mein

Ingredients (for 4 people)

• 2 chicken breasts (14oz), cut into thin strips
• 1 Tbsp LOW-SODIUM gluten-free Tamari
• 2 Tsp cornstarch
• Pinch white pepper
• 8oz dry gluten-free spaghetti or ramen noodles
• High heat cooking oil
• 4 cups broccoli florets
• 2 cups coleslaw mix
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

For the Source

• 1/4 cup LOW-SODIUM gluten-free Tamari
• 3 Tbsp gluten-free oyster sauce (I used Kikkoman)
• 2 Tbsp chicken broth (low-sodium if possible)
• One Tbsp cornstarch
• 1 – 2 teaspoons chili sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil
• pinch white pepper

Directions

1. Add sliced chicken to a large Ziplock bag with tamari and cornstarch then squish to combine. 
2. Combine all sauce ingredients in a dish then set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a boil then add noodles and cook until al dente. Drain then set aside.
3. Heat a drizzle of oil. Once hot, add chicken then stir fry until cooked through. Remove to a plate then set aside.
4. Put 3 Tablespoon water to the wok then, once simmering, add broccoli then cover with a lid and steam for 1 minute. 
5. Remove lid then add coleslaw, green onions, garlic, and another drizzle of oil then stir fry until the cabbage begins to wilt, 1-2 minutes. 06. Add the chicken, noodles, and sauce to the wok then stir fry until the sauce has thickened, 1-2 minutes. Serve hot.

I hope you got the answer for your question “What Chinese food is gluten free?”. If you have any doubt or something to clarify feel free to comment below. Have a tasty evening..!!