Skip: Naan
Naan is to Indian meals what fries are to burgers — they simply go collectively. And like these fluffy spuds, this comfortable flatbread has little dietary worth. Most naan recipes name for Greek yogurt to offer it that ethereal texture. However that is greater than offset by much less wholesome elements like white flour, sugar, and oil.
Order: Tandoori Proteins
It is purple. It is charred. It is probably the most acquainted Indian dishes. Hen tandoori will get its identify from tandoor, a thick clay or stone vessel it is cooked in. You can also order tandoori fish and lamb, that are seared at excessive temperatures from hearth, charcoal, or a gasoline flame. Very like grilling, all the flavour comes from the meat and marinade, not oils or different unneeded fat.
Skip: Pakoras
The identify is unique. However “pakoras” is simply code for “fried greens.” Items of eggplant, potato, spinach, or cauliflower are dipped in batter, then take a fast bathtub in numerous sizzling oil. Skip ’em for dine-in or supply. You can also make a more healthy model at residence with chickpea flour and baking as an alternative of frying.
Order: Chana Masala
Indians eat chana masala at breakfast, lunch, dinner, or as a fast snack from meals stalls within the native bazaar. Its fundamental ingredient is chickpeas, aka garbanzo beans. The legume is loaded with folate, iron, fiber, and vitamin B. The tomato-and-onion sauce is mixed with numerous garlic, ginger, chiles, and good-for-you spices.
Skip: Saag Paneer
We all know what you are pondering: Saag paneer is filled with spinach. What’s unhealthy about that? The issue is the cubes of paneer, or Indian cheese. Some cooks up the fats issue by frying the dish in ghee, or clarified butter. Nonetheless others add cream and yogurt on the finish for velvety texture. Lighten the dish at residence and swap the paneer for tofu.
Skip: Samosas
These transportable pockets are the last word Indian road meals snack. Samosas are crammed with veggies — potatoes, onions, carrots, and peas. So what is the fear? All of the wholesome stuff is folded right into a carb-heavy pastry shell or wonton pores and skin, then deep fried in effervescent fats.
Order: Aloo Gobi
This might not be the sexiest dish on the Indian buffet. You would possibly skip proper previous it in your solution to rooster tikka masala and basmati rice. However this potato-and-cauliflower combo will get excessive marks for style and coronary heart healthiness, particularly with all that turmeric, ginger, garlic, and cumin within the combine.
Skip: Hen Tikka Masala
It is one of many most-ordered entrees at Indian joints. However like many Indian dishes that had been initially low fats, the trendy recipe for rooster tikka masala is something however. A mean portion has whopping 1,249 energy and 90.8 grams of fats. Quite a lot of that comes from the ghee and heavy cream.
Skip: Pappadam
In northern India, this lentil flour bread is flame roasted. However within the U.S. and just about in all places else, it is deep fried. Resist the urge to devour them earlier than your meal arrives. Or crunch your means by only a couple, perhaps with a bit mint chutney on prime.
Order: Kebabs
Meat + spices + grill = pure protein. High it with a tomato chutney and go for brown or complete grain rice as an alternative of pilaf.
Skip: Lamb Rogan Josh
It isn’t a creamy sauce that amps up the fat-o-meter on this dish. It is the meat. Relying on the minimize, lamb can have wherever from 15 to 25 grams of fats in a 3-ounce portion. That is in regards to the dimension of a deck of playing cards. At residence, the place you’ll be able to select the minimize of meat, go for a leg or loin, and cargo up on all these antioxidants, like ginger, garlic, tomato, and turmeric.
Skip (or Make): Navratan Korma
Navratan means “9 gems” in Hindi. It is becoming identify for a dish crammed with greens, nuts, and seeds. In the event you order it in a restaurant, it is usually completed with half and half to offer it a wealthy, creamy taste (and further energy and fats). Sub plain soy yogurt or blended tofu at residence to offer it a wholesome tweak.
Skip: Gulab Jamun
These golf ball-sized desserts coated in sticky liquid aren’t good to your weight loss program sport. Gulab jamun are a mix of milk, sugar, and ghee that is deep fried and plopped in rose water syrup. In the event you crave one thing candy after an Indian meal, go for kheer, or rice pudding topped with fruit.
Scorching Tip: Assume Small
One order of rooster biryani, lamb vindaloo, or dal makhani often is sufficient for 2 meals. Share or avoid wasting for one more night time. That immediately cuts your fats and energy by half.
