Gluten-Free India Ready to Welcome Novak Djokovic!

If it all goes according to plan, world No.1 Novak Djokovic will visit India next month to play in a Davis Cup World Group playoff tie. One thing that most foreigners love about India is its food. However, as many of us would already know, Djokovic is always careful about what he eats because he is allergic to gluten, a protein composite found in wheat and related grains.

India is fast emerging as a tourist hotspot for gluten-free foodies because many dishes here can be cooked without wheat giving enough alternatives to people who have celiac disease (an auto-immune disorder of the small intestine coming from a reaction to eating gluten). Although Djokovic does not have celiac disease, he has admitted during interviews that his gluten intolerance has helped him maintain a solid diet plan, which in turn has improved his stamina on the court.

We look at some of the delicious food items that Djokovic would have to skip during his brief stay in India and some that will keep his taste buds in seventh heaven without having to worry about gluten content. After all, it is our duty to take care of our guests. Atithi devo bhava!

What Djokovic Can't Eat in India

1. Butter Chicken and Naan Combination

Djokovic might not be able to relish this exciting Indian curry combination because naan is made with wheat flour, which contains gluten. Interestingly, former Wimbledon champion Andy Murray once said he loved Indian curries but had to remove them from his diet because of stomach problems.

2. Golgappas

During preparation, this dish may look like a tennis ball when rolled after the wheat flour is kneaded but then Novak might have to stay away because of the obvious presence of wheat, which in turn contains gluten.

3. Samosas

While samosas did not originate in India, they are a food item that every Indian swears to have had during some point in their life and not just once. The problem with samosas, however, is that maida or wheat flour is a vital ingredient as the outer covering is made of a flour crust. There are enough samosas for most tennis players though at the Billy Jean King Tennis Center in New York during the US Open every year. That's the next Grand Slam event coming up in the tennis calendar next week!

What Djokovic Should Relish When he Comes to India

1. Biryani

The Davis Cup tie between India and Serbia will be played in Bangalore between September 12-14 this year and Biryani is a popular dish in this part of South India. While the Hyderabadi biryani can also be relished in parts of the city, Bangalore's own version of Mutton Biryani is delightful even when compared to the best standards. The dish also happens to be Murray's favourite and he plans to play in India soon (at the Chennai Open) to get some of that handi flavor in his mouth.

2. Dosa

Better known as rice flour pancakes by the world, dosas are usually free of gluten because of a rice base. And what better place to get dosas than South India? Djokovic is in for a treat!

3. Tikkas

If not cooked in the same tandoor as that where naan and roti is prepared; chicken, fish or paneer tikkas are usually free of gluten content. This is something Djokovic should love about India but guess he will have to eat them without the beer supplement. Oh, we forgot to tell you. Beer has gluten too.

At last year's US Open, there seemed to be a lot of discussion over Djokovic's gluten-free diet. And it was hilarious! "I have extra gluten," quipped Roger Federer when asked about the diet. Nadal went one step ahead when he said gluten-free was a fad. Caroline Wozniacki joked that her dog Bruno enjoys life compared to Djokovic's gluten-free dog, Pierre.

Here in India, Djokovic's diet should be a matter of concern for us, no laughing please!