Healthy Indian options

cyndit1
cyndit1 Posts: 170 Member
edited December 1 in Food and Nutrition
I'm going out to dinner tonight for Indian cuisine. Although I love it, I'm not sure if there really are any healthy options (lots of creamy like sauces if I recall). Any ideas for a more healthy option?

Replies

  • MissusMoon
    MissusMoon Posts: 1,900 Member
    If you're careful with your portion size, Palek Paneer isn't too bad. It still has the sauce but the volume of spinach helps a lot. Careful with how many pieces of paneer are there as well.
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
    Tandoori!
  • blazinskillz
    blazinskillz Posts: 8 Member
    I agree the tandoori chicken is a great option and daal (lentils) they usually have mixed vegetables (sabzi) as an option too
  • ashiyashakir
    ashiyashakir Posts: 2 Member
    Yes tandoori chicken is good as far it is tasty and not in high fatand yes satisfy
  • cyndit1
    cyndit1 Posts: 170 Member
    Thanks for the suggestions!
  • MalcolmX1983
    MalcolmX1983 Posts: 214 Member
    cyndit1 wrote: »
    I'm going out to dinner tonight for Indian cuisine. Although I love it, I'm not sure if there really are any healthy options (lots of creamy like sauces if I recall). Any ideas for a more healthy option?

    Tikka
    Dall
    Tandoori
    Anything grilled really.

    You can ask them to use less oil as well.
  • laur357
    laur357 Posts: 896 Member
    Chana/chole masala. The recipe I make myself is low in calories, and I think it might be comparable to a restaurant. Chickpeas, spinach, tomato-based sauce. (I'm guessing more oil/ghee would be used in a restaurant, but I think that's true of everything.)
  • Canuckgirl77
    Canuckgirl77 Posts: 123 Member
    Aloo gobi, daal, kebab, tandoori, tikka. You could tell the server that you want to avoid creamy or very oily sauces and fried items. Indian food is generally quite healthy when you avoid those things.
  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
    We cook indian food at home sometimes.

    Bindi (Okra) is usually cooked in tomatoes without cream, mmmmm.
    Channa (garbanzo beans) masala, same. We like those spicy enough to make us cry.

    Tandoori for meats, if you do meat, some preparations are just like a skewer of spiced meat roasted in the oven, not heavy sauce.

    Not too much rice, we put butter in the rice and I am sure the restaurants do, it's lovely but that combo does add up to a lot of calories.
  • skinnyforhi
    skinnyforhi Posts: 340 Member
    Love tandoori chicken and dal as a healthy choice when eating Indian food. If anyone here has a go-to recipe for yellow dal, I would appreciate it. I still haven't perfected mine.
  • paulgads82
    paulgads82 Posts: 256 Member
    Indian cooking is pretty healthy on a the whole, it's just the westernized version that emphasizes meat in creamy sauces.
  • paulgads82
    paulgads82 Posts: 256 Member
    edited May 2016
    I tend to just get some tandoori chicken, a roti, maybe some sag aloo if we are ordering Indian.


  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
    skinnyforhi wrote: »
    Love tandoori chicken and dal as a healthy choice when eating Indian food. If anyone here has a go-to recipe for yellow dal, I would appreciate it. I still haven't perfected mine.

    mmm, dal.

    We cook the beans in water with a can of coconut milk and put a chunk of ginger in there, and tumeric. When they are done, fry up mustard seeds, cumin, some finely chopped onion and jalapeno in oil and pour it on top. If seeking to de-fat, omit the coconut milk, replace with a small pat of butter for the cooking, and add chopped fresh tomatoes to that final seasoning fry.

    Serve with chopped onion, jalapeno, cilantro, ginger, shaved coconut, or whatever you like. That wierd green mango pickle is really good on it.
  • skinnyforhi
    skinnyforhi Posts: 340 Member
    robininfl wrote: »
    skinnyforhi wrote: »
    Love tandoori chicken and dal as a healthy choice when eating Indian food. If anyone here has a go-to recipe for yellow dal, I would appreciate it. I still haven't perfected mine.

    mmm, dal.

    We cook the beans in water with a can of coconut milk and put a chunk of ginger in there, and tumeric. When they are done, fry up mustard seeds, cumin, some finely chopped onion and jalapeno in oil and pour it on top. If seeking to de-fat, omit the coconut milk, replace with a small pat of butter for the cooking, and add chopped fresh tomatoes to that final seasoning fry.

    Serve with chopped onion, jalapeno, cilantro, ginger, shaved coconut, or whatever you like. That wierd green mango pickle is really good on it.

    This sounds great! I'll definitely try this out- thank you!

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