I love Indian food which has become the most popular take away food in Britain and is popular all around the world. Generally, Indian dishes appear to be a good choice because they contain healthy ingredients like whole grains from lentils, pulses and legumes, fresh vegetables and wholemeal breads.
However, depending on how the dish is cooked, and the regional cooking style, many Indian dished are very high in calories. If you are trying to control your weight you should look for low fat and low calorie alternatives.
This review provides general information on healthy choices and provides a summary table comparing the calories and fat contents of popular Indian foods and dishes.
Low-Fat Dishes to Choose
|
High Fat Dishes to Avoid
|
---|---|
Tamata salat
|
Anything made with Ghee
|
Mulligatawny soup
|
Coconut soups
|
Chicken or beef tikka
|
Samosas
|
Tandoori chicken, beef or fish
|
Korma
|
Chicken, beef , and fish saag
|
Curries made with coconut milk or cream
|
Chicken, beef, and fish vandaloo
|
Pakora
|
Shish kabob
|
Saaq paneer
|
Gobhi matar tamatar
|
Creamy rice dishes
|
Matar pulao
|
Fried breads
|
Steamed rice
|
Honeyed pastries
|
Papadum or papad
|
Kheer, a rice pudding made with coconut milk, raisins and nuts can have over 500 calories.
|
Coriander, tamarind, and yogurt-based sauces
|
Dishes with Coconut milk
|
Chapati
|
Pork Vindaloo Curry: 620 calories
|
Naan
|
Rogan Josh: 500 calories, 30g fat
|
Kulcha
|
Lamb Pilaf: 520 calories, 35g fat
|
Mango, mint, and onion chutney
|
Alu Gosht Kari: 600 calories
|
Dals (lentil dishes)
|
|
Dhakla, a popular Dal, has 111 caloriess and 5 grams of fat.
|
|
Rice-based dishes, called Pilafs or Biryanis
|
|
One 7-inch piece of Roti (baked whole-wheat bread) has just 60 caloriess and 1gram of fat.
|
|
Dhakla, a popular Dal, has 111 caloriess and 5 grams of fat.
|
|
Basmati Rice with vegetables
|
|
Mulligatawny Soup
|
|
Naan (Indian yeast bread): 79 calories and 2g fat
|
|
1 large Pappadom: 50 calories and 3g fat
|
|
Tandoori Chicken: 260 calories, 13g fat
|
|
Murgh Tikka: 300 calories, 4g fat
|
|
Chicken Tikka: 260 calories
|
|
Dhansak: 105 calories
|
|
Food
|
Portion (g)
|
Calories
|
Total Fat (g)
|
---|---|---|---|
Aloo Gobi
|
100
|
165
|
|
Chana Dal Cooked (Bengal Gram Dal)
|
100
|
107
|
|
Chana Dal Fried
|
100
|
500
|
|
Chana Masala
|
100
|
158
|
|
Chicken curry
|
100
|
323
|
|
Chicken Hyderabadi
|
100
|
399
|
|
Chicken Korma
|
100
|
250
|
|
Chicken tikka
|
100
|
273
|
|
Fish Curry
|
100
|
323
|
|
Fish Cutlet
|
100
|
228
|
|
Fish Molee (with Coconut Milk)
|
100
|
319
|
|
Fish Sukha
|
100
|
249
|
|
Gobi Paratha
|
100
|
270
|
|
Kathi roll
|
per roll
|
197
|
|
Masoor Dal
|
100
|
110
|
|
Moong Dal Fried
|
100
|
633
|
|
Moong Dal Kachori
|
100
|
166
|
|
Mutton Biryani
|
100
|
470
|
|
Mutton Curry
|
100
|
323
|
|
Mutton Hyderabadi
|
100
|
390
|
|
Mutton Kheema
|
100
|
175
|
|
Mutton Korma
|
100
|
143
|
|
Mutton Moghlai
|
100
|
243
|
|
Mutton Palak
|
100
|
186
|
|
Palak aloo
|
100
|
109
|
|
Palak Paneer
|
100
|
189
|
|
Patta Gobi
|
100
|
71
|
|
Rajma Cooked
|
100
|
102
|
|
Aloo Beans Mixed Vegetable
|
100
|
134
|
8.7
|
Aloo Curry
|
100
|
105
|
5
|
Aloo Ghost Kari (Goat)
|
100
|
600
|
|
Aloo gobi
|
serve
|
330
|
|
Aloo Paratha
|
piece
|
290-360
|
|
Aloo saag
|
serve
|
500
|
|
Aloo Tikki
|
100
|
101
|
5.2
|
Baigan ka Bharta
|
100
|
70
|
4.7
|
Bajra roti
|
piece
|
108
|
|
Beef kheema
|
serve
|
780
|
|
Beef madras
|
serve
|
540
|
|
Bhindi (Okra)
|
100
|
161
|
10.7
|
Boiled Rice
|
100
|
111
|
0.2
|
Chana dal
|
100
|
99
|
3.2
|
Chawal (Rice flour) Roti
|
piece
|
105
|
|
Chicken biryani
|
100g
|
470
|
|
Chicken Curry
|
100
|
132
|
7.6
|
Chicken dhansk
|
serve
|
720
|
|
Chicken Korma
|
100
|
166
|
10.3
|
Chicken tikka masala
|
serve
|
680
|
|
Chole (Chickpeas)
|
100
|
74
|
4.1
|
Cucumber raita
|
1 tbsp
|
20
|
|
Dal Dhokli
|
105
|
238
|
|
Dal Makhani
|
100
|
117
|
1.3
|
Gajar ka Halwa (Carrot)
|
135
|
460
|
|
Gatte ki Subji
|
148
|
275
|
~
|
Gobi Paratha
|
piece
|
270
|
|
Jawar roti
|
piece
|
104
|
|
Kaju Rolls
|
14
|
83
|
|
Keema madras
|
serve
|
450
|
|
Kheer
|
150
|
345
|
|
Khichari
|
100
|
215
|
7.4
|
Kulcha Naan
|
piece
|
120
|
|
Lamb bhuna
|
serve
|
680
|
|
Lassi
|
100
|
69
|
0.5
|
Maa ki Dal
|
146
|
92
|
|
Malai Kulfi
|
75
|
210
|
|
Malpua
|
40
|
342
|
|
Mango Kulfi
|
70
|
147
|
|
Masoor dal
|
100
|
165
|
2.7
|
Meat samosa
|
each
|
320
|
|
Missi Roti
|
piece
|
125
|
|
Moong dal
|
100
|
211
|
3.7
|
Muli Paratha
|
piece
|
257
|
|
Mutter Paneer
|
100
|
147
|
8.1
|
Naan Katai
|
45
|
150
|
|
Pakoda Onion
|
58
|
315
|
|
Pakoda Paneer
|
125
|
376
|
|
Paratha Plain
|
piece
|
243-290
|
|
Peshawari Naan
|
piece
|
322
|
|
Poppadom, each
|
each
|
65
|
|
Pork Vindaloo Curry
|
620
|
|
35
|
Pulao
|
100
|
119
|
3.4
|
Rajmah (Kidney beans)
|
100
|
102
|
3.4
|
Rasgulla
|
40
|
194
|
|
Rogan josh
|
serve
|
700
|
|
Roomali roti
|
piece
|
200
|
|
Roti / Chapati / Phulka
|
piece
|
60
|
|
Sambhar
|
100
|
5
|
1.8
|
Samosa
|
100
|
252
|
17.6
|
Shahi Paneer
|
95
|
263
|
|
Shimla Mirch Aloo
|
100
|
93
|
3.4
|
Stuffed Tomato
|
100
|
85
|
3.4
|
Tandoori chicken
|
serve
|
300
|
|
Tandoori Chicken Breast
|
100
|
700
|
|
Tandoori Roti
|
piece
|
102-120
|
|
Vegetable biriyani
|
serve
|
550
|
|
Vegetable curry
|
serve
|
350
|
|
Vegetable Jalfrazi
|
98
|
159
|
|
Vegetable Kofta Curry
|
100
|
147
|
9.1
|
Vegetable Korma
|
100
|
88
|
5.3
|