Indian Food

Pucker508
Pucker508 Posts: 67 Member
edited October 1 in Food and Nutrition
I am eating at an Indian food restaurant for the first time this evening. I have no idea what to get! Ultimately, I want to keep my entire meal under 500 calories. Here is the link to to restaurant's menu:

http://www.spicebyob.com/page/menu/

Can someone help me pick something healthy!?

Thank you so much!

Replies

  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
    There's no tandoori chicken on the menu that I can see, so I'd do chana masala (chickpeas in a spicy tomato based sauce) with roti on the side (roti is whole wheat, made only with flour and water).
  • AmerTunsi
    AmerTunsi Posts: 655 Member
    What Indian place has no Tandoori?!
  • AmerTunsi
    AmerTunsi Posts: 655 Member
    There is Tandoori.. in the Clay oven specials! That is your healthiest option. Znd Shesh Kabob is going to be low cal. Indian food can be tough because they use a lot of creams, butters, and cheeses. Ugh, now I want some.
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
    What Indian place has no Tandoori?!

    Oh you're right! It is there, I had to check again - it was just in a different section.

    OP, I'd order the Tandoori chicken!
  • skinnylove00
    skinnylove00 Posts: 662 Member
    ask for half sizes, because when i was at an indian restaurant and asked for chana masala they gave me about 3 cups of rice and 4 cups of chick peas....wayyyyy too much!!
  • CraftyGirl4
    CraftyGirl4 Posts: 571 Member
    I like channa masala or the veg jalfrezi (coconut milk based sauce).
  • infamousmk
    infamousmk Posts: 6,033 Member
    I also say Tandoori chicken! And if there's a vegetable curry in there somewhere, get that too. I didn't look at the menu, I just know that I make Tandoori chicken and vegetable curry more often than any land-locked white girl should. :laugh:
  • AmerTunsi
    AmerTunsi Posts: 655 Member
    What Indian place has no Tandoori?!

    Oh you're right! It is there, I had to check again - it was just in a different section.

    OP, I'd order the Tandoori chicken!

    Lol. I hadn't looked at the menu yet when I wrote that. It wasn't directed at you, more the restaurant! I was like shocked.

    But pretty much all the things on the clay oven options would be lower impact.
  • Pucker508
    Pucker508 Posts: 67 Member
    Thank yu all so much! I knew I could count on MFP support!

    So, it seems like most of you are saying to go with the tandori chicken. I was leaning more towards a vegetarian dish having less calories overall...thoughts?
  • TourThePast
    TourThePast Posts: 1,753 Member
    Definitely tandoori chicken and either a small amount of plain boiled rice or roti. If the chicken has skin on, just pick a few little tasty crisp bits and discard the rest.

    Avoid anything in a sauce, even vegetable curries are often laden with fat.

    But honestly? 500 calories is going to be pushing it - just make sure you enjoy it and keep it as a very occasional treat. :smile:
  • AmerTunsi
    AmerTunsi Posts: 655 Member
    I agree with the 500 calories being a tough one. Just do your best and enjoy yourself! It's not like you will be eating it every day!
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
    Thank yu all so much! I knew I could count on MFP support!

    So, it seems like most of you are saying to go with the tandori chicken. I was leaning more towards a vegetarian dish having less calories overall...thoughts?

    Indian food is tricky - veggie does not always equal lower calorie. Restaurant sauces are very often cream-based, and typically use a fair amount of oil. I LOVE chana masala and make it at home often, and my home version is very low cal (about 150 for a cup). It's still a healthy choice, but you'll get fewer hidden calories in tandoori chicken, which is not typically served in a creamy or oily sauce.

    That said, I personally think tandoori chicken is boring :) I think 500 is going to be hard at an Indian place. If it were me, I'd order what I wanted (avoiding paneer and cream dishes if I were caring about calories). Then I'd skip the rice and have a roti instead.

    Now I also want Indian food.
  • Jenlwb
    Jenlwb Posts: 682 Member
    Go easy on the rice (don't eat the mountain they give you!), have steamed, not fried. And don't touch anything with Paneer (cottage cheese), it's gorgeous, but the amount in a dinner portion might go over a whole day's worth of cals!
  • AnnaPixie
    AnnaPixie Posts: 7,439 Member
    If you fancy vegetables have the Vegetable Tikka from the clay over specials. Any other veg dish is usually swimming in oil.

    Personally, I'd have the grilled salmon and the vegetable tikka. No rice or bread.

    Mmmmmmm fancy an Indian now too!! :laugh:

    Good luck :flowerforyou:
  • Pucker508
    Pucker508 Posts: 67 Member
    You all are fabulous! Thank you again!
This discussion has been closed.

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