Indian Food

ManiacalLaugh
ManiacalLaugh Posts: 1,048 Member
edited November 19 in Food and Nutrition
I'm going to an Indian restaurant tonight and I'm completely ignorant on any nutritional aspects in Indian food. I know a lot of it has sauce, but I'm not sure what sauces are based in heavy cream and which ones arent.

I was wondering if someone had some suggestions on food I could order that would be low in calories? (For note: I'm not low carb, but I hate super-spicey-burn-your-eyes-out food)

Here is the link to the specific restaurant, but I'm sure their options are fairly common.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

Replies

  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
    edited June 2015
    Your lowest calorie option is probably Chana masala. No cream, but possibly some butter in it. Higher calorie options are korma masala, and Tikka masala, both have heavy cream and the korma also has full fat yogurt.

    There are some others though, most places make an eggplant dish (forgot what it's called) and a spinach one; palak paneer, although paneer is cheese, so it's going to be pretty calorie dense.

    Most Indian restaurants I've been to are very educated on diets, and most make quite a few vegan dishes which will be the least calorie dense, so ask for those. Just don't over do it on the naan bread!
  • ManiacalLaugh
    ManiacalLaugh Posts: 1,048 Member
    galgenstrick wrote: »
    Just don't over do it on the naan bread!

    That's going to be tempting for me. The restaurant serves cheese naan that sounds amazing, but I'm sure is absolutely packed. :s

    That's some great info. Thanks!

  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
    I would stick with the tandoori or kebobs. They're cooked in a super hot oven (tandoor). The soups look like good options too - mulligatawny or dahl are pretty low in calories. Raita is a great low calorie condiment.
  • Cchioles
    Cchioles Posts: 276 Member
    Chicken tikka Is Off The Chain! .. And Birrhiani (if That's How To Spell It) Is Awesome Too.. Enjoy!
  • mistikal13
    mistikal13 Posts: 1,457 Member
    Chicken Biryani nom nom
  • ManiacalLaugh
    ManiacalLaugh Posts: 1,048 Member
    Thanks all! Those all sound like good options, and that's exactly what I was hoping for. I'm saving up some good calories, but I'm just nervous about stumbling on a meal that's deceptively hiding a ton of calories.

    Agh - and now a new problem. I'm already hungry for it! X)
  • jlahorn
    jlahorn Posts: 377 Member
    No kormas. No bhaji. No pakora.

    http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/20-high-calorie-indian-dishes-to-avoid/articleshow/15989804.cms
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
    Paneer is a type of cheese, but it's pretty low calorie. It's like mozzarella. Dal means lentils. Some dal dishes have cream, but most don't. Aloo means potatoes.

    Ask for what's "light" on the menu. Mind how much rice/naan you add to your plate. Many dishes come with a side of both. Ultimately, it's just one meal. Eat slowly and stop when you're full. Enjoy the food.
  • sixxpoint
    sixxpoint Posts: 3,529 Member
    edited June 2015
    Saag Paneer: Spinach with Indian Cheese and Spices is awesome and very complex in flavor. I would definitely get it as a side dish to your main entree. You could also scoop some of it up with the Naan bread.
  • RayneScar
    RayneScar Posts: 44 Member
    Saag aloo is a personal favourite of mine! Basically just potatoes and spinach so it's not too heavy but really filling! Also I'm hooked on vegetable biryanis.. if you can handle it, get one! Chana masala is also good and I think not too heavy on cream.. Just avoid/don't eat too much rice and naan if possible and you should be ok.
  • ManiacalLaugh
    ManiacalLaugh Posts: 1,048 Member
    So the consensus seems to be to be extra careful with the naan and rice. I'm surprised Basmati hides as many calories as it does! It just seems a little more nutritional than plain white rice. But I guess that's one of the pitfalls one can discover while watching calorie intake and actually looking things up.

    The naan part makes me sad though. I'm going to go with MFP's calculation of 300 cals/piece. Maybe I can squeeze one in after a workout.
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
    I would it all. Cheat day. I love Indian food.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    enjoy it whatever dish you decide on, Indian food has to be my most favourite food...nom nom :smile: and yes, its too bad about naans and their high cals :(
  • MonkeyMel21
    MonkeyMel21 Posts: 2,396 Member
    edited June 2015
    S#!%. Now I want Indian food. The only person I know here that likes Indian Food too, I don't talk to any more.
  • ManiacalLaugh
    ManiacalLaugh Posts: 1,048 Member
    enterdanger wrote: »
    I would it all. Cheat day. I love Indian food.

    Soooooo tempted to, but I also ate out last night. I did a fairly good job at picking last night and stayed within the calorie range, but I want to keep my momentum going. Plus, apparently Indian food is more hazardous to the waistline than I thought. Oo
  • Whittedo
    Whittedo Posts: 352 Member
    I love Indian food as well but it is high calorie and if that doesn't kill you the salt content will. That being said I'm having Butter Chicken for dinner tonight. It just means that I will have to go on an extra long bike ride.
  • ryan_aye
    ryan_aye Posts: 12 Member
    Tandoori chicken generally doesn't have a sauce and is just grilled chicken, very tasty! My favorite is chicken mahkani or chicken tikka masala both of which have cream in the sauce so I generally just save up my calories for Indian food when we plan to eat it. We're planning on Indian food today as well actually so looks like I'll be working out on my lunch and tonight.
  • runningforthetrain
    runningforthetrain Posts: 1,037 Member
    I love Indian food. I think the only thing you could do is watch your portions- don't go in their starved. And then good idea on the bike ride...
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