My obsession with Indian food turned up a water chestnut flatbread that I just couldn’t turn down. Water chestnut isn’t a nut at all, but rather a grass-like sedge native to Asia. According to Wikipedia they’re high in riboflavin, vitamin B6 and copper, both of which help us make the histamine-lowering DAO enzyme.

So far I’ve used it to batter sprats (very small English fish similar to sardines), make cake,  flatbread, pancakes and even waffles (tricky this one).

It’s also so glutinous that eggs aren’t needed.

As I’m personally not paleo, so I chose to serve this paleo flatbread with lentils! 

Traditionally served during Hindu fasting periods, it has a bit of a bitter taste that some might initially take issue with. A little fresh apple juice countered the bitterness, but I personally LOVE it. A little thyme, garlic, whatever pleases you, can go into this gluten free flatbread.

Water chestnut flour is low oxalate [1], low histamine (its seeds are even antihistamine!) [2], anti-inflammatory [3] and paleo! Wow.

As outlined in the Anti-Cookbook: nigella, ginger, turmeric, coriander, thyme, garlic and onion all possess antihistamine and anti-inflammatory properties.Thyme’s benzoate’s may be problematic for some. 

Water chestnut is also rich in mast cell stabilising luteolin [4].

I talk about the benefits of luteolin and other mast cell stabilisers and how they lower histamine here.

Enjoy!

Here’s a little video I put together on how to make this great flatbread, but you’ll find the full recipe below!

Lentil Daal w/Water Chestnut Flatbread

Prep Time: 10 | Cook Time: 10 | Servings: 2-4  | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

Daal
1 cup lentils, soaked and boiled
medium onion, finely chopped
fresh ginger, 2 tbsp grated
fresh turmeric, 1 tbsp grated
coriander
lemon, to taste (or omit)
1-2 cloves garlic
1-2 tbsp ghee (optional, can use olive oil instead)

Flatbread
1 cup water chestnut flour
1/2 – 1 cup water (depending on desired consistency)
1-2 tbsp olive oil
thyme (makes it more bitter though)
garlic
nigella seeds

Directions:

Daal

Lentils can be a mast cell trigger for some. Here’s why I still eat them.

In a pan sautee the onions, turmeric, ginger and garlic in a little ghee or olive oil.

Once soft and fragrant, add in the lentils.

Pour in a little water and cover.

Simmer for 2-5 minutes.

Serve with flatbread.

Flatbread

Blend the chestnut flour, water, olive oil and garlic. Toss in the nigella, thyme.

Heat a little oil in a pan.

Pour the batter into a largish pan, the kind suitable for crepes, quickly rotating the pan to coat its entirety. This can be a bit tricky as the batter begins hardening almost immediately.

Cook until flatbread is firm. This will take a while…

You’ll start seeing a powdery residue on the uncooked side. Carefully flip over and cook till nice and toasty looking.

If it took too long to cook, or isn’t firm enough, just use less water. 

Please don’t forget antihistamine, pain killing foods can still hurt us, so please always check with your doctor before adding new foods to your diet. 

———————–REFERENCES———————

[1] Low oxalate list of Susan Owens

[2] http://www.sumobrain.com/patents/jp/Histamine-liberation-suppressing-agent/JP2001048766.html

[3] http://www.ijprd.com/EVALUATION%20OF%20ANTI-INFLAMMATORY%20ACTIVITY%20OF%20FRUITS%20OF%20TRAPA%20NATANS%20LINN.pdf

[4] http://foodfacts.mercola.com/water-chestnuts.html