wheat free diet - what do i do? been invited out for a meal with friends at an indian restaurant

[nailpolish]

heavy sigh
do i chance it? dh says prob no flour used in indian dishes. but how do i make sure?
please dont say phone the restaurant cos i will feel like a prize twat if i do

[FluffyMummy123]

Message withdrawn

[nailpolish]

fuck knows

it was the drs idea after numerous poo and blood tests and uss and blah blah etc etc

[BecauseImWorthIt]

I agree with your dh - I think the use of flour is very unlikely, but if you can't face ringing to ask them then stick to tandoori/tikka dishes - chicken shashlik would be a good bet

No poppadoms/chapatti/naan or samosas or onion bhajis

Rice will be fine

And no beer/lager to wash it down!

[nailpolish]

ohi thought naan would be ok thought they used a different flour

ok thanks will go for tandoori i think

but what about sauce? dont they use flour to thicken? dh says cornflour

[nailpolish]

oh fuck i hope ive not turned into one of those picky punters who asks a hundred questions about their food before ordering

dh wouldnt let me mind you

[BecauseImWorthIt]

Don't think anything is used to thicken sauces - definitely cornflour at a Chinese.

But if in doubt, ring them or go for the tikka/tandoori option

You may be right about the flour for a naan bread, but I'm not sure - unless you know for certain I'd avoid it as well

[NoblesseOblige]

ask. seriously. my bf is coeliac and has to do this all the time. and it is far easier on the waiting staff if you ring beforehand rather than go through the whole menu when you order! they really wont mind. and if they do then they are very rude.

[BecauseImWorthIt]

plain flour used in this recipe

[nailpolish]

but i feel like a tit phoning ahead

if i have a tandoori, i usually have a sauce though. its the sauce im worried about

will not bother with naan, as you said. its not good for you anyhoo

FUK FUCK FUCK

might sneakily phone before dh gets back from the golf course

[gagarin]

go vegetarian - have spinach (saag) & chickpeas (dhal) & mushrooms with pilau rice.

I do it all the time - lovely.

[nailpolish]

me too! i love sag aloo type dishes

[tribpot]

Indian food is normally one of the easiest to accommodate for wheat-freers, to be honest. Even the stuff in the supermarket tends not to have any wheat in. My dh would normally have a biriani or a jalfrezi - no probs.

But phone ahead, trust me you won't be the first one. Heck, I'll phone for you if you like, I do it all the time!

Poppadoms generally okay actually as based on (forgotten name but like chickpea flour).

You want to try ordering wheat-free in a bistro in Paris, thank god I had French friends with me to launch into an elaborate explanation of what had wheat in. I reckon the chef still just went "bof, this crazy rosbif with his wheat - he will have what I cook and he will like it".

[nailpolish]

lol

ok thanks, feel less stressed now about it

[FluffyMummy123]

Message withdrawn

[nailpolish]

ah cod you are always so lavish with the sympathies

[Kbear]

Better to phone and find out the dishes you can have and really enjoy the night than worry and potentially make yourself ill. You're not being picky, it's not a fad, it's an illness. Ring them and I'm sure they will be more than happy to help you.

[nailpolish]

ok

[FluffyMummy123]

Message withdrawn

[tribpot]

You can do it - and then look smug when dh says "here we go, she'll be asking a million questions before she orders" and you sweetly say "I shall have the [whatever you like] thank you very much".

Btw, a few other eating out tips:

• you now like baked potatoes, even if you didn't before (watch out for the tomato sauce in baked beans though)
• Pizza Express will cook a pizza on a base you bring to them
• Bella Italia have a fab book that lists every ingredient in every menu and will switch and swap to make the meal wheat-free
• La Tasca list what is g-f on their menu so no need to ask any questions

Also just found this whilst googling for the name of La Tasca!

[nailpolish]

oh yes i know cod, sorry, was being sarky

thanks

[nailpolish]

wow trib- thanks !

[GreenMonkies]

If you have had a positive blood test for coeliac disease then really, as a fellow sufferer then phone ahead!!

Have you been on a wheat/gluten free diet long? Have you been "good" or "sloppy"?

I ask because if you have been careful and been strictly gluten free for a while and you chance it and eat at the indian without phoning/asking and eat something that has got gluten/wheat in it you will be ILL. It takes me 7-10 days to recover fully from a coeliac episode, I have stomach cramps and the runs for about 48-72 hours, followed by several days of feeling generally sore and tired and utterly shite, before my stomach lining repairs it's self and I begin to feel human again.

If your Dr has told you to go wheat/gluten free because of a blood test then take it seriously and clip your DH around the ear and make him take it seriously too.

Phone ahead, the staff won't mind at all.

[nailpolish]

my blood test for coeliac was negative, but every thing else is pointing towards intolerance or sensitivity or what ever you want to call it

its been 8 days now and i do feel better A LOT

[nailpolish]

dh is taking it seriously he just doesnt want to cause a fuss! neither do i tbh, incase people think im being picky/faddy/attention-seeking