How to cook light curry?

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Shabawan
Shabawan Posts: 37
in Food and Nutrition
hi fellow comrades

i am a curry fan and can't live without curry but mostly curry dishes are high in calories and Carbs seem to be my biggest issue..specially protean and sugar..

what can i do to reduce them?

Replies

  • ickybella
    ickybella Posts: 1,438 Member
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    What's your favourite kind of curry? I have a few recipes for curries, but I need to know what you like.
  • Shabawan
    Shabawan Posts: 37
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    chicken curry, chicken jalfarazi, chicken korma, Achar Gosht (Chicken) and also some Fish curry...

    Thanks :)
  • ickybella
    ickybella Posts: 1,438 Member
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    I'll send you some recipes when I get home from work.
  • KatieCuth
    KatieCuth Posts: 569 Member
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    Protein is your friend....

    I use lite coconut milk, limit the palm sugar etc... Or steer away from the creamy ones. But sometimes its just limited the amount of curry and rice you eat... Have smaller portions.
  • Shabawan
    Shabawan Posts: 37
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    Oh Thank you ickybella ...that's very nice of you...
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    Curries don't have to be high calories, if you make some simple changes:

    - Look for recipes for tomato based curries instead of creamy, coconuty ones.
    - Reduce the amount of coconut milk you use and add extra stock or water instead (I'm not a fan of "light" coconut milk, if I want to add thickeners and gelatine to my curry, I'll buy them myself)
    - Have you tried any of the spinach based curries? Google recipes for palaak paneer or saag paneer. You don't have to use the paneer (cheese) but can substitute chicken or veggies.
    - Use oil spray instead of oil to saute your veggies
    - Add extra veggies and limit the amount of beef or lamb you put into a meaty curry
    - Pay attention to portion sizes - most of us eat WAY too much.
    - reduce the amount of rice you have with the curry, add extra veggies or a salad
    - drop the sugary sides like mango chutney and have a non-fat yoghurt raita instead

    Enjoy!
  • amomatt
    amomatt Posts: 41
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    I like to have my curries on cauliflower instead of rice which cuts down the cals heaps!

    I usually just substitute with low cal versions-like "lite" coconut milk, and just use less, so instead of a 420g can, I use a the tiny 120g can. Still gives the coconut taste with a lot less cals.

    do you make the spice mis yourself or use ready made pastes? Coz there's def some "good" ready mades out there that aren't too heavy on the cals
  • martinh78
    martinh78 Posts: 601
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    I've just come across Pataks Oven Bake Byriani (having it tonight).

    I usually make my own curries from scratch so go for tomato and onion bases rather than creams (or yoguart for a Rogan).

    The Pataks stuff is ok if you bake a pot of it with chicken and rice, and eat just a third (which is plenty!) with leftovers for a few days. With chicken thighs the whole meal (1/3rd pot) comes out as:

    278 kcals
    17 carbs
    15 fat (3 sat) - 6 of this is from the sauce, the rest is from chicken thighs so maybe use prawns or a lower fat alternative.
    25 protein
    3 fibre

    I think this is pretty good, comes in at under 300kcals for a meal.
  • Shabawan
    Shabawan Posts: 37
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    Thanks
    I will defo follow ur instructions.. very helpful thanks :)
    Curries don't have to be high calories, if you make some simple changes:

    - Look for recipes for tomato based curries instead of creamy, coconuty ones.
    - Reduce the amount of coconut milk you use and add extra stock or water instead (I'm not a fan of "light" coconut milk, if I want to add thickeners and gelatine to my curry, I'll buy them myself)
    - Have you tried any of the spinach based curries? Google recipes for palaak paneer or saag paneer. You don't have to use the paneer (cheese) but can substitute chicken or veggies.
    - Use oil spray instead of oil to saute your veggies
    - Add extra veggies and limit the amount of beef or lamb you put into a meaty curry
    - Pay attention to portion sizes - most of us eat WAY too much.
    - reduce the amount of rice you have with the curry, add extra veggies or a salad
    - drop the sugary sides like mango chutney and have a non-fat yoghurt raita instead

    Enjoy!
  • Shabawan
    Shabawan Posts: 37
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    When I cook curries I cook them proper Asian style full fatty. Lol

    I like to have my curries on cauliflower instead of rice which cuts down the cals heaps!

    I usually just substitute with low cal versions-like "lite" coconut milk, and just use less, so instead of a 420g can, I use a the tiny 120g can. Still gives the coconut taste with a lot less cals.

    do you make the spice mis yourself or use ready made pastes? Coz there's def some "good" ready mades out there that aren't too heavy on the cals
  • Shabawan
    Shabawan Posts: 37
    Options
    Thanks Martin
    Pataks seems a great idea..

    I've just come across Pataks Oven Bake Byriani (having it tonight).

    I usually make my own curries from scratch so go for tomato and onion bases rather than creams (or yoguart for a Rogan).

    The Pataks stuff is ok if you bake a pot of it with chicken and rice, and eat just a third (which is plenty!) with leftovers for a few days. With chicken thighs the whole meal (1/3rd pot) comes out as:

    278 kcals
    17 carbs
    15 fat (3 sat) - 6 of this is from the sauce, the rest is from chicken thighs so maybe use prawns or a lower fat alternative.
    25 protein
    3 fibre

    I think this is pretty good, comes in at under 300kcals for a meal.

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