Indian Food Suggestions

Options
BrewerGeorge
BrewerGeorge Posts: 397 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I know next to nothing about Indian food except that I like it. One of my employees (and Indian) wants to take my wife and I to dinner at an Indian restaurant. I'm all for it, but I don't know enough about the cuisine to make any kind of informed choices about what to eat.

I will probably just end up making that day my maintenance day this week, but even then I want to avoid the worst offenders and pick as well as possible because maintenance day does not equal free day to me.

Any advice what to eat and what to avoid?

Replies

  • nehushtan
    nehushtan Posts: 566 Member
    Options
    Most Indian food is usually fairly high in calories. Lots of fried stuff, stuff made with lots of butter, starch, etc.

    Tandoori chicken should be OK because it's not fried or breaded, and the spices don't count. Also see if they have the mix of vegetables that has cauliflower and potatoes. That's usually roasted and not swiming in a lot of buttery gravy.
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
    Options
    http://www.ruchiskitchen.com/recipe.htm

    Perhaps if you start here to see some traditional dishes... you might feel a little more informed...?

    Im a sucker for a good Masala... with chicken or tofu....
  • significance
    significance Posts: 436 Member
    Options
    Many Indian curries are cooked in coconut milk or coconut cream, which is high in fat. Butter chicken is also not great, for obvious reasons. Tandoori food is sometimes a better option, or look for curries with spinach or other vegetables in the sauce.
    If you get bread, go for naan rather than parathas, which can have a lot of butter.

    Dahl is pretty healthy and yummy.
  • BrewerGeorge
    BrewerGeorge Posts: 397 Member
    Options
    http://www.ruchiskitchen.com/recipe.htm

    Perhaps if you start here to see some traditional dishes... you might feel a little more informed...?

    Im a sucker for a good Masala... with chicken or tofu....
    I can't find any hot links on that page...What am I doing wrong?
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Options
    Chicken tikka masala with some fresh hot naan nom nom nom
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
    Options
    Many Indian curries are cooked in coconut milk or coconut cream, which is high in fat. Butter chicken is also not great, for obvious reasons. Tandoori food is sometimes a better option, or look for curries with spinach or other vegetables in the sauce.
    If you get bread, go for naan rather than parathas, which can have a lot of butter.

    Dahl is pretty healthy and yummy.

    Dahl RULES!!! I make mine in a soup version and it is a sure fire way of filling you up!
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
    Options
    http://www.ruchiskitchen.com/recipe.htm

    Perhaps if you start here to see some traditional dishes... you might feel a little more informed...?

    Im a sucker for a good Masala... with chicken or tofu....
    I can't find any hot links on that page...What am I doing wrong?

    Copy it, then paste into a separate window... I wasnt sure if we were allowed to post a clickable link on this message board so I played it safe..
  • BrewerGeorge
    BrewerGeorge Posts: 397 Member
    Options

    I can't find any hot links on that page...What am I doing wrong?

    Copy it, then paste into a separate window... I wasnt sure if we were allowed to post a clickable link on this message board so I played it safe..
    I can get the page, but I was trying the headers in the middle of the page and not getting anywhere.

    ....I got it now. The links to the actual recipes are in the frame to the left.

    Thanks
  • Lift_hard_eat_big
    Lift_hard_eat_big Posts: 2,278 Member
    Options
    Tandori chicken is BOMBAY! It's very similar to chicken fajita. Chicken and lamb tikka masala are my next favorite indian dishes, some dal(lentil soup) naan bread, and some salad with mango salad dressing.
  • skinnnyxoxo
    skinnnyxoxo Posts: 210 Member
    Options
    Get a tomato based dish rather than a creamy/buttery one.
    Try chicken jalfrezi instead of chicken tikka masala.
    Try some daal, which shouldn't be too high in calories. You can even get poppadums.
    NO samosas (a medium sized one has 250 cals) or pakoras/ anything fried.
    Have tandoori roti instead of garlic naan.
    Don't drink mango lassi or rooh afza either!


    Hope I helped and have fun :smile:

Categories