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gluten_free2021-07-10 11:34 pm
blood_of_tiamat) wrote in gluten_free2021-07-10 11:34 pm
My Gluten-Free Puffed Rice Quest
Over the past four months, I have been trying and comparing various brands of puffed rice, some of which claimed to be GF and others which listed no allergen information. I found three brands that are indeed GF, as well as being very cheap! All of them can be ordered online. Results under the cut.
April 2021: I went shopping at a local Indian grocery and found what appeared to be gluten-free puffed rice (it was labelled as "may contain sesame or nuts", but listed no other allergens).
I bought it, took it home, ate it, and I am experiencing no gluten-related symptoms! I have been searching for YEARS for basic unsweetened rice cereal that is both gluten-free and not absurdly expensive. All the gluten-free cereals at the health food store cost an arm and a leg, and some of them do actually contain gluten, despite claiming they don't, like Barbara's (booooo!). I've been made ill by so-called "gluten-free" cereal that somehow qualified for the USDA gluten-free label. Never again!
You can get 14 ounces/400 grams of GF puffed rice for much less than the fancy, Western world brands from Pran, a Bangladeshi company. Here's a wild deal: one 400 gram bag for $2.07 USD
I am also investigating a second brand from Nepal that does not list any allergens on the package (woo, Russian roulette!). I'll update on my findings.
Update: Himalayan Delight Murai (Nepali puffed rice) is also gluten-free! No issues whatsoever after a big bowl yesterday. I also somewhat prefer the taste of this brand, as it tastes like pure rice, while the other has flavours from the seeds and nuts also processed on the company's equipment. This brand is also offered in 14 oz/400 gm bags.
It was a little harder to find places to buy this brand online, but here are three options: One, Two, Three
I also found a brand of crispy rice ("hajikani poha") at the same grocery, which is cheap and pretty good (no apparent gluten), but it does have quite a lot of dirt/sand in it, so I likely won't buy that brand again. It also does not have an allergen label. There are lots of other brands if you search "hajikani poha". This stuff is the same texture as classic Rice Krispies, from the early '90s, before they changed their recipe to what it is today.
Dharti Hajikani Poha
Here is the wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flattened_rice
Update: Hajikani poha comes in several different textures, from the Rice Krispies-like texture all the way to paper-thin.
June 2021: Tried yet another brand of puffed rice, Putul. My preferred shop was not open, so I bought what was available at the shop that was open. Sadly, this brand did not list any allergens, and it appears to have gluten, as it is giving me digestive problems.
July 2021: Tried a different Indian grocery in town this time and found another brand that contains no gluten and is high quality! SWAD makes a 400 gram/14 oz bag. It's delightfully crispy, gives me no stomach problems whatsoever, and contains no debris. The package also says, "Contains No Allergens". Woo! Here is an online option.
I hope that was helpful for any fellow puffed rice fans!
April 2021: I went shopping at a local Indian grocery and found what appeared to be gluten-free puffed rice (it was labelled as "may contain sesame or nuts", but listed no other allergens).
I bought it, took it home, ate it, and I am experiencing no gluten-related symptoms! I have been searching for YEARS for basic unsweetened rice cereal that is both gluten-free and not absurdly expensive. All the gluten-free cereals at the health food store cost an arm and a leg, and some of them do actually contain gluten, despite claiming they don't, like Barbara's (booooo!). I've been made ill by so-called "gluten-free" cereal that somehow qualified for the USDA gluten-free label. Never again!
You can get 14 ounces/400 grams of GF puffed rice for much less than the fancy, Western world brands from Pran, a Bangladeshi company. Here's a wild deal: one 400 gram bag for $2.07 USD
I am also investigating a second brand from Nepal that does not list any allergens on the package (woo, Russian roulette!). I'll update on my findings.
Update: Himalayan Delight Murai (Nepali puffed rice) is also gluten-free! No issues whatsoever after a big bowl yesterday. I also somewhat prefer the taste of this brand, as it tastes like pure rice, while the other has flavours from the seeds and nuts also processed on the company's equipment. This brand is also offered in 14 oz/400 gm bags.
It was a little harder to find places to buy this brand online, but here are three options: One, Two, Three
I also found a brand of crispy rice ("hajikani poha") at the same grocery, which is cheap and pretty good (no apparent gluten), but it does have quite a lot of dirt/sand in it, so I likely won't buy that brand again. It also does not have an allergen label. There are lots of other brands if you search "hajikani poha". This stuff is the same texture as classic Rice Krispies, from the early '90s, before they changed their recipe to what it is today.
Dharti Hajikani Poha
Here is the wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flattened_rice
Update: Hajikani poha comes in several different textures, from the Rice Krispies-like texture all the way to paper-thin.
June 2021: Tried yet another brand of puffed rice, Putul. My preferred shop was not open, so I bought what was available at the shop that was open. Sadly, this brand did not list any allergens, and it appears to have gluten, as it is giving me digestive problems.
July 2021: Tried a different Indian grocery in town this time and found another brand that contains no gluten and is high quality! SWAD makes a 400 gram/14 oz bag. It's delightfully crispy, gives me no stomach problems whatsoever, and contains no debris. The package also says, "Contains No Allergens". Woo! Here is an online option.
I hope that was helpful for any fellow puffed rice fans!