Gluten is a type of protein commonly found in wheat, barley and rye. This protein binds like glue and gives bread, pasta and other baked goods their chewy texture. Gluten is also a type of FODMAP (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides and Polyols), which is a type of carbohydrate that is difficult to digest and can cause digestive problems in some people. Especially for people with celiac disease, gluten can trigger an autoimmune reaction that damages the lining of the small intestine.

A gluten-free diet has a myriad of benefits, one of which can alleviate symptoms from digestive issues such as bloating, diarrhea, and more. In addition, this diet has a positive impact on eczema sufferers and helps obese people lose weight. However, often gluten-free products on the market are not equipped with enough nutrients so that ordinary people are still hesitant to try.

Ladang Lima, as one of the pioneering gluten-free food producers in Indonesia, sources all their products from cassava. Cassava that grows in fields across Indonesia is rich in fiber and nutrients and has long been consumed as a staple food by our ancestors. Once harvested,cassava is processed into Mocaf (Modified Cassava Flour) flour and transformed into ready-to-consume products such as cookies, pasta, noodles, premix flour, and so on.

The two-day online event was attended by more than 500 participants who showed their enthusiasm through their creations uploaded to Instagram and tagged @ladanglima.id. On the first day, chef Risma taught the participants to make gluten-free bread in the form of donuts, buns, gamchi and pizza base. As for the second day, the material taught how to make gluten-free sourdough. This process utilizes wild yeast and bacteria found in sourdough starter instead of commercial yeast. Not only that, various types of donut toppings, fillings, and glazes were also taught by Chef Risma. Participants were able to make gluten-free bread that is not inferior to famous bakeries .

Participants were also taught how to make their own gluten-free natural yeast at home. It turns out that making natural yeast is very much in line with healthy living, when humans take care of their nature, their environment, then the good bacteria that are the forerunners of gluten-free sourdough will be easy to make. Chef Risma teaches all the basics , but also includes a lot of theory that can be learned. There is even a way to make this sourdough bread not too sour .

The recipes created by Chef Risma use various types of local gluten-free flours, one of which is Mocaf from Ladang Lima. Mocaf (Modified Cassava Flour) or better known as gluten-free flour can be applied to many food preparations with results that are almost equivalent to using low protein flour. Ladang Lima produces mocaf flour from selected cassava from local farmers. The cassava used is treated and cultivated naturally. This natural flour is processed through a fermentation process to produce high-quality gluten-free flour, rich in fiber, and without preservatives.

“With gluten-free processing classes like this, hopefully in the future more and more Indonesians will know about how rich this country is. There are many and varied gluten-free food ingredients that can be made into flour and then processed into healthy snacks that resemble conventional bakery and pastry products,” concluded Chef Rismagood.