Courgette dishes without gluten hiding in the details

Stir-fries can contain soy sauce, and some stock cubes contain wheat-based ingredients, so check both rather than relying on the vegetables in the pan. Flour may be used to thicken a stew, casserole or sauce, while fritters and fried courgette are often bound, coated or dusted with wheat flour. Bread, pasta, pizza bases and bagels are obvious sources, but seasoning blends and prepared sauces deserve the same attention.

Use tamari or a soy sauce clearly labelled gluten-free, and check any stock, spice blend or bottled sauce added to the pan. Keep the courgette and other vegetables separate from noodles unless the noodles are made from a gluten-free grain or pulse. If the meal is shared, use clean utensils and a clean pan if wheat-containing food has already been cooked in them.

For thickening a sauce or stew, use cornflour mixed with cold water, but check that the packet is labelled gluten-free if cross-contamination matters. For fritters, grated potato, egg and a gluten-free flour blend can help hold the mixture together; squeeze excess water from the courgette first. For a crisp coating, use certified gluten-free breadcrumbs or finely crushed gluten-free cornflakes, and keep the coating station separate from ordinary flour and crumbs.