# Gluten free flour for fish



## kitchengoddess8 (Jan 11, 2014)

Does anyone know of a good gluten free flour that can be used to coat fish in sautées? I tried rice flour, but it's a bit grainy. I've also tried almond and coconut flours, but they definitely change the flavor of the fish. Wheat flour would be ideal except for the fact that I'm gluten sensitive. Suggestions?


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## salt and pepper (Jan 11, 2014)

Potato flour, plus it adds a touch of flavor.


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## kitchengoddess8 (Jan 11, 2014)

salt and pepper said:


> Potato flour, plus it adds a touch of flavor.



Oh I hadn't thought of that. Great idea!


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## ShellyCooks (Jan 12, 2014)

I have a friend who uses instant potato flakes.  You could put them in  your blender to make them like flour.  Have you tried corn flour or fine cornmeal??


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## kitchengoddess8 (Jan 12, 2014)

ShellyCooks said:


> I have a friend who uses instant potato flakes.  You could put them in  your blender to make them like flour.  Have you tried corn flour or fine cornmeal??




No, I haven't tried corn meal or corn flour, but those sound like great options! Do you mix anything with the cornmeal?


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## ShellyCooks (Jan 12, 2014)

You could mix any type of herb with the corn flour --- parsley, thyme, etc.  don't forget a little salt and pepper unless you salt and pepper the fish first.  I just remembered that Trader Joe's sells almond flour --- sole almondine?  You could also mix together different "flours" for different flavors.  Let us know what works for you.


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## kitchengoddess8 (Jan 12, 2014)

ShellyCooks said:


> You could mix any type of herb with the corn flour --- parsley, thyme, etc.  don't forget a little salt and pepper unless you salt and pepper the fish first.  I just remembered that Trader Joe's sells almond flour --- sole almondine?  You could also mix together different "flours" for different flavors.  Let us know what works for you.




What is the best way to coat the fish? On one of Martha Stewart's shows, she sprinkled the flour over the fish. I've also seen chefs put the flour on a plate and roll the fish in it.


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## LPBeier (Jan 12, 2014)

The one I have found to be the best for fish is sweet rice flour, though you can't always find it.  It doesn't add a sweet taste and is finer and "stickier" than regular rice flour.  Potato starch or mashed potato flakes are also very good.  Cornmeal gives a nice texture, but I use it as a coating and usually use the sweet rice first.


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## kitchengoddess8 (Jan 12, 2014)

LPBeier said:


> The one I have found to be the best for fish is sweet rice flour, though you can't always find it.  It doesn't add a sweet taste and is finer and "stickier" than regular rice flour.  Potato starch or mashed potato flakes are also very good.  Cornmeal gives a nice texture, but I use it as a coating and usually use the sweet rice first.




Are potato starch and potato flour the same thing?


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## ShellyCooks (Jan 12, 2014)

I like to lightly brush the fish with oil -- I use olive oil.  I guess melted butter would be good, too.  I put the flour on a plate and lightly press the fish into it.  If you put the coated fish on a rack for a few minutes before you sauté,  it allows the coating to dry a little and adhere better to the fish.  Good luck!


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## LPBeier (Jan 12, 2014)

kitchengoddess8 said:


> Are potato starch and potato flour the same thing?


No, they are not, but if you try to find what the difference is, you get confused real quick.  There are recipes that say "potato starch not potato flour", but other than that I use them interchangeably and don't have a problem.  The flour is a little more dense and the starch resembles tapioca or corn starch.


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## Gravy Queen (Jan 12, 2014)

Potato flour or corn flour would work , but can you not buy ready mixed packs of gluten free flour for cooking and baking ? I buy Doves farm gluten and wheat free flour , self raising and plain and they can be used in all cooking . If not available in shops near you , you could probably get them online .


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## Rocklobster (Jan 12, 2014)

Gram flour(chick pea flour) is good also. Probably available in a health food store, bulk food store or Indian grocer..


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## Rocket_J_Dawg (Jan 12, 2014)

Robin Hood and King Arthur both make a gluten free all purpose flour.


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## jennyema (Jan 12, 2014)

Most fish can be sautéed without flour.


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## LPBeier (Jan 12, 2014)

There are many brands and variations of gluten free flour out there.  If you are baking and cooking extensively gluten-free as I and many others here do, they can be great.  I have one from my organic store that I use for basics, and I make my own mixes as well.

For a simple item like dredging fish, I think just using something like corn or potato starch that you might have on hand is easier.  And yes, you don't have to dredge fish.


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## kitchengoddess8 (Jan 12, 2014)

I've noticed that a bit of flour helps  hold together delicate filets like flounder. Plus it tastes yummy. On another forum many people recommended Julie's all purpose gluten free flour. If I can't find it, I'll try corn starch, and make sure it's made from non GMO corn. I once tried chickpea flour, but it tasted a little weird.


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## salt and pepper (Jan 12, 2014)

kitchengoddess8 said:


> Are potato starch and potato flour the same thing?


  NO! They are two different things.


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## kitchengoddess8 (Jan 12, 2014)

Well I just bought the King Arthur GF flour at my local health food store, but I won't be using it for fish because it's so pricey. Corn flour might be my best bet.


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## GotGarlic (Jan 12, 2014)

kitchengoddess8 said:


> Well I just bought the King Arthur GF flour at my local health food store, but I won't be using it for fish because it's so pricey. Corn flour might be my best bet.



As jennyema said, fish can be quite good without dredging in flour at all. Try that.


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## kitchengoddess8 (Jan 12, 2014)

GotGarlic said:


> As jennyema said, fish can be quite good without dredging in flour at all. Try that.




I generally sautée fish without flour, but flounder tends to fall apart if I don't use it.


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## taxlady (Jan 13, 2014)

salt and pepper said:


> NO! They are two different things.


Can you explain what the difference is. When would you use each of them?


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## LPBeier (Jan 13, 2014)

I thought I explained earlier in the thread but can go into a little more detail.

Potato starch is fine like corn or tapioca starch.  It has the same properties so will thicken liquids when cooked and can be combined with heavier rice flour to make a gluten-free all purpose flour mix (mine is rice flour, tapioca starch and potato starch in a 3/1/1 ratio).

Potato flour is more the consistency of ground potato flakes.  It is a little heavier and can absorb liquid without being cooked (like flour, but can not be used as flour alone because it absorbs too much).

Here's a link that may help The Food Allergy Queen: Potato starch vs. potato flour


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## taxlady (Jan 14, 2014)

LPBeier said:


> I thought I explained earlier in the thread but can go into a little more detail.
> 
> Potato starch is fine like corn or tapioca starch.  It has the same properties so will thicken liquids when cooked and can be combined with heavier rice flour to make a gluten-free all purpose flour mix (mine is rice flour, tapioca starch and potato starch in a 3/1/1 ratio).
> 
> ...


Thank you LP. I've been having trouble making rødgrød (a Danish fruit pudding - Rødgrød - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia). I thought the recipe called for potato flour, but I finally checked an online Danish food dictionary and "kartoffelmel" is potato starch, even though it sounds like it should be flour (kartoffel = potato, mel = flour). No wonder my fruit pudding wouldn't set.

So what can I do with potato flour? I don't need it for gluten free, we eat gluten.


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## kitchengoddess8 (Jan 14, 2014)

I tried using corn flour to dredge a piece of Dover sole. The flour didn't taste grainy like the white rice flour did, which is good. My challenge now is how to get the fish to crisp up a bit around the edges. I used my Calphalon anodized pan. Any ideas?


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