The Taste of FODMAP Friendly Southeast Asian Cuisines
This week we are shedding some light on low FODMAP dishes in some of the most popular Southeast Asian cuisines. Eating out on a low FODMAP diet can be challenging but… Don’t worry! We’ve got you covered.
Thai
When it comes to Thai, does curry immediately pop up in your mind? Garlic, shallots and coconut milk are common ingredients in Thai curry paste and soups which you will need to turn away from whilst following a low FODMAP diet… Believe me, Thai cuisine is more than curries!
Garlic, onions, shallots and the white part of spring onions are high in one of the FODMAP groups called fructans. Some coconut milk can be high in another FODMAP group named fructose when it contains inulin. It is hard to know the kind of coconut milk restaurants use therefore the best way is to order foods without it.
The top tip is to have food that is freshly made upon order such as salad or stir fry so that your order can be tailored to remove the common high FODMAP ingredients in Thai cuisine like garlic, onions and shallots.
Good news – Pad Thai sauce is made of tamarind paste, palm sugar, fish sauce and sometime spices. Pad Thai can be low FODMAP when no garlic and onions are added.
One of my favourite Thai dishes is stir-fried Asian greens with crispy pork belly (which is also known as Pad Kana Moo Krob). Traditionally, it contains garlic but rest of the ingredients are low FODMAP. Since it’s often made fresh to order, request to remove the garlic and it will be a delicious meal to be served with rice. Enjoy!
Vietnamese
Fresh herbs and pungent fish sauce, anyone?
Although the key ingredients used in Vietnamese cooking (such as fish sauce and rice) are very similar to those used by their neighbours, Thailand and Cambodia, Vietnamese cuisine has a distinct style in being less spicy, lighter, fragrant and fresh.
Similarly, the tip is to eat food that is freshly made upon order. Garlic, onion and fried shallots are commonly used ingredients therefore the key is to eliminate those. Also, request to only have green parts of spring onions in your meal because the white parts are high FODMAP. Alternatively, request for more lime as well as fresh herbs like mint, coriander and perilla to give the fragrance of your dish. And of course, fish sauce!
If you are ordering meat dishes, double check with the restaurant whether the meat is marinated with garlic or onions. If that’s the case, try the alternatives such as rice noodle salad with prawns (Bún thịt nướng tôm) or firm tofu (Bún thịt nướng chay). You’ll love it.
Malaysian
Malaysian cuisine is heavily influenced by Chinese, Indian and Indonesian cuisines. Its food is generally spicy and always flavourful, often with fragrant combinations of a number of spices such as coriander and cumin. However, it might be a bit more tricky to eat low FODMAP in a Malaysian restaurant due to its wide use of coconut milk and garlic in sauces, marinates and soups.
Belacan is the fermented shrimp paste used in Malaysian cuisine which traditionally contains only shrimp, salt and vegetable oil. Don’t confuse Belacan with Sambal, which is also a common sauce used in Malaysian cuisine containing chilli, shrimp paste, garlic, shallot and a number of other ingredients, making it potentially high FODMAP.
Stir-fried water spinach with chillies and Belacan (Kangkung belacan) or stir-fried long beans with chillies and Belacan (Kacang panjang belacan) can be your go-to options . Again, request to eliminate garlic (and fried shallots) at cooking and enjoy it with rice!
Southeast Asian cuisines are mouth-watering! I really hope this blog has helped you pick the right option whilst following a low FODMAP diet. Overall, the key tip is to have food that is made upon order so that it can be tailored to your needs! Sauces can contain hidden FODMAPs so make sure you double check.
FODMAP Friendly Certified Southeast Asian-style products
If you are craving for curry and satay but not 100% sure whether the meals served up at restaurants are low FODMAP… Try making your own using some of the FODMAP Friendly certified sauce products shown below.
San-J Gluten Free Thai Peanut Sauce
For a tasty satay, marinate chicken in the Thai Peanut Sauce, thread onto pre-soaked skewers and grill or broil until done.
Sound delicious? Find out more: https://san-j.com/products/thai-peanut-sauce
Bay’s Kitchen Jalfrezi Curry Stir-in Sauce
Feel like curry? Simply sauté your choice of meat and vegetables with garlic infused olive oil. Stir in the Bay’s Kitchen Jalfrezi Curry Stir-in Sauce when the ingredients are almost cooked. Leave to simmer for 2 minutes. Serve with rice and enjoy.
Find out more: https://bayskitchen.co.uk/product/jalfrezi-curry-stir-sauce-2/
Written by: Flora Cheung (APD, AN)
Edited By: Atlanta Miall-Shorten (APD,AN, AccSD)
