Risottos are usually off the menu if you follow the FODMAP diet. All that cream, cheese and garlic is not a a recipe for a happy gut. However, you can make a great dairy-free, FODMAP friendly risotto easily. The natural starches in risotto rice provide real creaminess. Adding roasted butternut squash and zuchinni adds flavour and a lovely rounded richness - so much so that you won't notice that there is no cheese!
Ingredients:
3/4 cup/ 150g risotto rice (Carnaroli, Vialone Nano or Aborio)
2 cups of hot FODMAP friendly stock
small glass of white wine (optional)
Zest of half a lemon
1tbsp chopped fresh basil or sage
1 cup/ 200g chopped butternut squash (2 inch pieces)
1 medium zuchinni/courgette coarsely grated
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or garlic oil
Freshly ground black pepper
Serves 2
Put the butternut squash in a roasting tray with the oil and bake for 30 minutes, turning half way through, until tender and golden.
Place the rice in a pan and stir in a quarter of the hot stock and the glass of wine (if using). Bring up to a low simmer and stir gently. Continue to add the remaining stock gradually as the rice absorbs it, keep stirring! This should take about 20 minutes. Test that the rice is cooked, it should have a slight bite to it.
Add the grated zuchinni, chopped basil, roasted squash and lemon juice. Season to taste and serve.
I love curry but as many are packed full of garlic, onion and dairy products it can be tricky to find ones to eat that are ok on the FODMAP diet plan. Luckily, it's very easy to make your own flavoursome FODMAP friendly version. This biryani is packed full of IBS soothing ginger and turmeric. I've made it with chicken but you could also use lamb or prawns.
Ingredients:
2 skinless chicken breasts, sliced into strips
100g basmati rice
250ml chicken stock (use homemade or check your concentrate is gluten and allium free)
200g chopped FODMAP friendly vegetables of your choice (see the FODMAP diet plan list - kale, courgette and carrot all go well)
1tsp ground turmeric
1 tablespoon mild curry powder
½ tbsp sunflower oil (or garlic oil)
1 thumb sized piece of ginger, finely chopped (or you can use ginger paste from a jar)
Serves 2
Heat the oil in a medium sized casserole dish. Add the chicken, ginger, turmeric and curry powder and stir, cooking on a low heat for 1 minute.
Pour in the rice, vegetables and stock and give everything a good stir. Bring the pan up to a low simmer and then cover and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan (or pop the whole covered dish into the oven and bake for 20 minutes at 180C).
Remove the pan from the heat and serve garnished with chopped mint or coriander.
