Healthy meals from an Indian restaurant?

turquoise_elephant

I'm going out for dinner to catch up with some friends tonight. I haven't set foot in an Indian restaurant since I started losing weight, because I know it would be my downfall- the naan breads, the pilau rice, the creamy curries! To say I'm a little nervous about tonight would be an understatement but, deep down, I know I'm ready now to have this meal without reverting back to my old habits.

I just wondered if anyone knows the kind of foods I should be ordering? I have around 700 calories left today, although I'm planning on a 100 calorie snack later. I'm driving, so I'll just have water, so no calories from drinks, which is good! I was thinking maybe a tandoori or tikka meat with a vegetable side dish? No rice or naan... What do you think?

bellaboo07

tandoori chicken and salad are always your best bet. Fish tikka is nce too! enjoy your meal.

daffodilsoup

Aloo Gobi is my favorite go-to - curried cauliflower and potatoes. No heavy sauces, but still packed full of flavor!

Lina4Lina

Chana Masala is my go to healthy meal. Just beware the Naan. Each piece can have 200-300 calories.

losinginseoul

Just went to an Indian restaurant tonight. Unforunately, I did not do research. We also did a set meal for 3 people because one of our friends had never had Indian so we wanted him to try a variety. Overall, I don't feel too bad about the tandoori chicken and curries. I do have regrets about how much nan and rice I ate. Wish I had only chosen one and limited myself. Hope you have a good time. Indian is delicious!

TheArmadillo

It depends on the restaurant. I like a chicken bhuna (extra hot) from our local, its tomato based and has extra veg in. Also they don't use ghee and their portions are a reasonable size, not too large.. I then tend to have sag aloo (potatoes and spinach) as a side dish which does have a bit of oil in. That comes to roughly 700cal. But dishes change from place to place. I don't get dry dishes as I like sauces and don't feel satisfied with them. If you want something with a sauce, stick to tomato based ones. Avoid kormas, tikka massalas and anything else with cream in.

I do skip the rice (mostly or I share with my son), naan (om nom nom peshwari naan) and my biggest weakness poppadums and mango chutney. If you can't skip all of them, choose one and have a half portion.

_VoV

Skip the high-calorie breads, and order pappadum with coriander or tamarind chutney for an appetizer. If there is salad of some kind, that's a great option.

Order a vegetable curry without a creamy sauce (be it real cream, cashew or coconut 'milk'). Usually plain basmati rice comes with that, but 1/2 cup of that is only 100 calories, or so.