First of all, these are not researched tips. I am sharing all the practical tips that I do in my day-to-day cooking.
Aim here is to try and make Indian veg curries healthier. These little tweaks will ensure you get a balanced macro nutrient in your diet.
In this case, I would take example of pointed gourd. It will help us to stay relevant and offer a reference point.
So, if you are a vegetarian; looking for healthier Indian curries options, please read on till end.
Tips for making Indian veg curries healthier
Add lentils (source of protein) to your Indian Veg Curries
Lentils, or “Daal”, as we all know it, is one of the common sources of protein in Indian vegetarians food. While there has always been a discussion going on as to how much protein does it offer.
However, I believe – something is better than nothing. Even if you add 60-100 grams of lentil (Bengal gram daal) in pointed gourd curry, it adds 12-20 grams of protein to your diet.
Similarly, you can add moong dal with leafy greens. Crushed peanuts also go really well with sauteed ladies’ fingers sabji.
The idea is pretty simply, try to add lentils in you veg curries which adds protein to your diet.
If you are cooking one pot meal like Pulao or khichdi, you can consider adding soya chunks or boiled chickpeas.
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Use of Cold Pressed Oils
In Indian market, consumers are pampered with a variety of cooking oils. Cooking oils make a significant portion of grocery bills.
Choice of cooking oil is also a debateable topic. However, let’s not get into this discussion and understand the benefits of using cold pressed cooking oil;
- Retains natural nutrients and antioxidants due to minimal processing
- Rich in healthy fats that support heart and overall health
- Free from harmful chemicals and excessive refining
- Enhances the natural taste and aroma of food while cooking
- Contains natural vitamins like Vitamin E and essential fatty acids
- Better choice for everyday cooking when used in moderation
I switched to cold pressed cooking oils sometime back and I can feel the difference.
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Avoid Deep Frying, Instead Shallow fry or Air Fry
There are many veg Indian curries, which is made from deep fried vegetables. In pointed gourd curry, pointed gourd is generally deep fried.
Hence, a small tweak goes a long way in making your Indian veg curries healthier. One can start shallow frying instead of deep frying. Deep fried vegetables absorb more oil.
While, in shallow frying, you can simply apply a layer of cooking oil and fry your ingredients on a tawa.
If you can use an air fryer, there is nothing better that that.
Let’s understand with some examples. Whenever I make Besan Kadhi, I air fry the fritters.
Similarly, when I cook dishes like chilli mushroom (the Indian Chinese dish), I fry the mushroom in the air fryer after applying the base coating of corn stratch, ginger garlic paste with salt.
The cooking method also is an important factor deciding nutrients of the food.
Conclusion
So, to conclude, we can start with these 3 basic changes. Let’s recap again.
- Add protein sources like lentils or soya chunks to your Indian veg curries.
- Change your cooking oil to cold pressed oil, which offers whole lot of benefits.
- Try to adopt cooking methods like shallow or air frying instead of deep frying.
Let us know if you are using any of these tips in your daily cooking. Share your experiences in the comments.
