Need Info Re: Gluten And/or Indian Food

As a rule, generally speaking, the dishes you mentioned do not have gluten. To be specific, the dishes are mainly chicken or rice with spices, except the last one which is fruit and yogurt and spices.

Gluten is not just flour, gluten is a protein and is found in several types of grains or wheat, like rye, buckwheat, and even oats in certain circumstances (oats are tricky; they are commonly grown near wheat crops and can have some cross contamination).

The problem with the above recipes would happen if they were prepared using seasoning packets (think those little envelopes that say "Spaghetti Sauce Seasoning" or "Taco Seasoning" that can be bought in a large display at the grocery store). Those things have numerous ingredients and often have flour or thickeners that may have gluten.

But, if you're cooking them with fresh chicken, plain rice (not a rice mix, or a wild rice blend, but just white rice or jasmine rice), and spices (not a spice mix or spice packet), and pure coconut milk, they would be likely to be gluten free. For example, McCormick curry powder says on their website that it's gluten free. The best way to prepare these would be to purchase the individual spices like ginger, curry powder, etc.

Looking at a sample, basic recipe for those 4 dishes, they can easily be prepared with no gluten, like I said, unless you use a seasoning packet and a rice mix or fancy wild rice blend.

We eat a lot of traditional Indian dishes - all of the ones above are part of my regular rotation. None should contain gluten. Here's what would be included:

chicken curry: chicken, spices, yogurt, oil, garlic, onion
jeera rice: rice, cumin, oil, onion
chana masala: chickpeas, onion, tomato, garlic, ginger, spices, oil
mango lassi: yogurt, mango, sugar

Talk to the person cooking and ask if they use any thickeners or prepared spice mixes. They really shouldn't with these very simple recipes, but you never know. Those would be the only shortcuts in these dishes that could contain gluten.

You'll need the full ingredient list and then need to check each item. Gluten is in all grains. So even things like vanilla extract can have gluten because it's made with alcohol. I have a cake client who orders gluten free cakes from me. With every flavor I have to check and double check each item in a recipe.

Many Indian dishes are gluten free, but definitely not all.

Fortunately, there are more and more gluten free options that can be substituted in many recipes. And most are becoming pretty readily available.

Everley got the main ingredients correctly in the 4 specified dishes. In addition to the items she mentioned, anything extra is only likely to be extra spices, or vegetables and garnishes.
Gluten is mainly from Wheat, rye, and barley (all malt products). There isn't any gluten in vegetables, beans, lentils (chickpeas), fresh meat, dairy, rice.

Again Everley is correct in mentioning thickeners. Just check if the mother(s) in question use corn flour or rice flour for thickening. Then it is OK. Unless they use wheat flour.

Indian breads are a different case. Wheat flour is a common ingredient and it contains gluten.

PS: I'm Indian! :)

You need to get a complete ingredient list. Gluten is found in many things you would never even think of. My daughter has Celiac's Disease so I need to watch for gluten if I am making dinner for her. For instance soy sauce has gluten, most canned/jarred soups and sauces, salad dressings, seasonings.