Best choice for curry?

Bacchants
Bacchants Posts: 92 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Later today I'm off for a work lunch (with clients) at our local curry place.

So what on earth can I pick as a healthy option? I don't want to be too picky when ordering (I don't want the clients to think I'm too fussy).

I normally have a chicken methi (fenugreek) with rice and a naan (part of the reason I need to trim down!). I don't think they do wholegrain rice, but I could have the rice with mince (keema I think). Or would a small naan be better?

I can't get out of the lunch, and want to limit the damage!

Suggestions are most welcome!

Replies

  • danika2point0
    danika2point0 Posts: 197 Member
    I LOVE Indian - double carbs (naan and rice - yes, please!)...I'd love to see the menu to help you choose as it can be kind of hard as Indian represents a vast array of possibilities...my recommendation would be something meat-based like kebab skewers + chana masala or saag paneer (a healthy, low fat, filling side).
  • Fitfornowt
    Fitfornowt Posts: 24 Member
    NHS gives the following advice!

    Try to avoid anything that’s creamy or deep fried.
    To reduce the amount of fat in your meal, choose dishes with tomato-based sauces, such as tandoori and madras, plain rice or chapatti. Also choose plenty of vegetables, including lentil side dishes (known as dhal).
    Try to avoid: any creamy curries such as korma, passanda or masala with pilau rice, naan, bhajis, pakoras and poppadoms.
    Healthier options: tandoori or madras with chicken, prawns or vegetables, plain rice and chapatti.

    All good advice - I hope it helps!
  • Fitfornowt
    Fitfornowt Posts: 24 Member
    Lifted from an online newspaper!!

    INDIAN TAKEAWAYS

    Worst choice: Chicken korma and pilau rice
    1,100 calories, 60g fat
    An average portion of an Indian takeaway contains 3.2g more saturated fat than a woman should eat in a whole day, according to Which? With its generous content of cream and coconut you can expect a chicken korma to beat even this high level of cholesterol-raising saturates.
    Add naan bread and poppadoms and it could easily reach 1,300-1,400 calories. Other cream-laden types to avoid are pasanda and tikka masala.

    Better choice: Chicken biryani
    730 calories, 24g fat
    Biryani has rice included so you don’t need to order rice as a side dish. Go easy on the separate pot of sauce and ask for it without the fried egg or omelette on top.
    Others in the moderate-calorie category include lamb rogan josh and prawn or chicken jalfrezi.

    BEST CHOICE: Tandoori chicken with half a naan or half portion of boiled rice
    380 calories, 10g fat
    The healthiest Indian dish is a sauce-free one such as tandoori chicken or chicken tikka. Alternatively have any starter you like and bulk out with salad, dhal and a couple of poppadoms. A non-creamy vegetable curry can be a good bet too.
  • Bacchants
    Bacchants Posts: 92 Member
    They do have an online menu:
    http://thevine.co.uk/your-curry-your-way

    Although they actually have other options than listed there (I think it varies depending on what they have it?).

    Good point about the Chappati! Then I've not had saag paneer, but looking it up seems something I'd like.

    I will miss my double carbs but I'm quite excited to try out some new stuff!
  • danika2point0
    danika2point0 Posts: 197 Member
    It's great that the lunch menu has a salad OR chips option. I'd agree with the previous poster about choosing a tomato-based dish or the mixed platter with a salad. You should be fine then as lunch portions usually aren't huge here anyways! Now, I want Indian food...! Enjoy :smile:
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    Good info, @Fitfornowt !
  • mistikal13
    mistikal13 Posts: 1,457 Member
    Biryani is a good choice. You can always bring some home if it's too much.
  • Numberwang22
    Numberwang22 Posts: 213 Member
    edited June 2015
    Maybe a bit late but my Indian colleagues tend to just order dhal and roti as a main, maybe also a side veg. All quite modest.

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