What is kuttu (buckwheat)?

Kuttu and your health

Buckwheat is naturally gluten-free and is counted as a whole grain, so it brings fibre and minerals that refined flours lack.

For coeliac disease:

• Kuttu can be useful, as long as the pack is labelled gluten-free, because flours can pick up gluten during processing.
• Many packaged gluten-free foods are short on fibre, iron and B vitamins, so a whole flour like kuttu is a better swap than refined gluten-free products.

During vrat, though, kuttu often ends up deep-fried, which adds a lot of oil to an otherwise wholesome flour.

How to have kuttu

Make kuttu rotis or chillas on a tawa instead of frying puris, and pair them with paneer, dahi or a vegetable like lauki or pumpkin.

Mixing kuttu with singhara or rajgira atta makes the dough easier to roll.

Buying and storing:

• Buy small packs from a trusted brand.
• Check the date.
• Store the flour airtight in a cool, dry place.

Where you'll see it

Amaranth seed (Ramdana)Paneer (Chhena)Lauki (bottle gourd)Pumpkin (Kaddu)