According to a survey conducted recently, almost 30% of all Americans want to avoid gluten. This should explain why a gluten free alternative to just about anything is becoming more of a necessity in your everyday cookbook.
A gluten-free recipe for tortillas is not only a healthier alternative in general but should also be avoided by certain people that have an underlying intolerance to gluten.
A Word About Gluten Free Diet
A gluten free diet is true to the name and your food should contain no gluten whatsoever. Foods high in gluten consist of wheat, beer, pasta, rye, and bread to name a few.
Wheat is definitely the food most linked to gluten, though. People suffering from dermatitis, herpetiformis or non-celiac gluten sensitivity need to follow a gluten- free diet for their entire life. Around 1 in 133 people in America suffer from celiac disease.
A gluten free diet proves a healthy alternative and also aids in staying fit as well as healthy. Oats that are not specified as gluten free, wheat bran, wheat starch, barley, and others are foods that a gluten free diet stays away from.
People are now using a gluten free diet as a healthy way of living rather than just if the need to because more people are realizing the umpteen benefits.
It helps improve cholesterol levels, promotes digestive health and even aids weight loss. A gluten free diet is also known to improve energy levels. Studies show that it could also benefit children with autism and help improve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
Are Tortillas Really Gluten Free
So do tortillas have gluten then? Tortillas contain gluten depending on the way they are processed and what ingredients are used during the process.
Corn tortillas for example contain gluten, while using alternative ingredients could give you the type of tortillas you are looking for. Tortillas are the perfect companion to a great stew and you should not have to miss out because you would prefer to avoid gluten.
How to Make Gluten Free Tortillas
Having your own recipe for homemade gluten free tortillas to rely on when needed is a good idea to have jotted down somewhere.
Flour tortillas are the best option for a gluten free approach. There is nothing that tastes better than well made flour based tortillas. For your perfect, soft gluten-free tortillas you will need the right ingredients.
Ingredients of Gluten Free Tortilla
Cooking Procedure of Gluten Free Tortilla
1. You would begin by whisking together your white rice flour, Tapioca Starch, xanthan gum, granulated sugar, baking powder and the salt. Add the shortening into the mixture and make sure no small pieces of the shortening remain.
2. Add half a cup of cold water into the mixture and stir it into the dough well.
3. The remaining water can then be added to help the dough hold together. Adding and stirring the right amount of water can help you with that. The dough should have a damp feel to it after, rather than a wet sticky consistency. A sticky consistency will not taste as good and will also be extremely hard to work with.
4. The next step would be kneading the dough on a table that is covered with flour for a dry base that will help the process leaps and bounds. Think back to how you roll out pizza into a circular shape on a countertop covered with flour.
5. You should continue kneading the dough till it is smooth and not sticky at all. If you feel the dough is too dry and is crumbling in your hands, add a bit of water and if it feels to wet add some flour. After forming a ball with the dough, cover it with plastic cling wrap.
6. Roll out the dough to about 8-10 inches with a wooden rolling spin to get circular flour tortilla of medium size. Heat a cast iron griddle over a medium fire and keep in mind that tortillas work far better on cast iron.
7. Once you place a tortilla over the fire, it will form bubbles and start to puff up, after about 50 seconds, switch to the other side.
Your tortilla should have a light brownish shade to it. The second side will take about 35 seconds to cook. The second side will not get as brown as the first.
After both sides are cooked, transfer your tortilla to a plate and cover it with a tissue or towel for a bit. This will keep them soft. The towel should also preferably be lined with aluminum foil.
Final Words
Tortillas are best served right away while they are hot, but you can also store them through the night in a sealed plastic bag. The next day, you can wrap these tortillas in a paper towel and then cover them in aluminum to pack up for a snack on the go. Remember to heat them up before that to soften the tortillas.
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