Wow, I had to share this story because I'm still so mad about it.
Yesterday I had lunch at a so-called "healthy" Indian place. They have a buffet-style lunch and I sampled some tandoori chicken (a spiced, grilled chicken), some lentil dhal and some chickpea soupy-style thing (can't remember the name).Nice lunch of protein and good fiber.
For dessert, they had these kind of dough ball things--about the size of a Dunkin Donuts munchkin in this sweet sauce. They are called Gulab Jamun. I had four of these small balls. Four. I figured the dessert would be around 200 cals if that.
Well, I have just looked it up--each ball is 150 calories. 150 EACH! My small dessert which was probably four bites was 600 cals! If I'm going to have a 600 cal dessert it better be a giant (and filling) hot fudge sundae!!! I am so so so annoyed right now!!!!
Lesson learned--look it up before you eat it and if you're not sure, consider avoiding said food!
I actually don't enjoy those at all either! My roommate brought some back with her after the Christmas break and I concluded that they are glorified balled pancakes left soaking in the maple syrup... oh, and then left around for a day.
I'd rather have the ice cream too! Thanks for the warning- Now I have more reason not to "indulge".
Ouch! I'm sure that hurt. Since you had just had lunch, didn't your body tell you it was satisfied after eating the first one? If they're that high in calories, I think that would have given me a clue to don't eat the rest without even knowing what the calorie count was. That probably didn't come out right. If I don't know for sure how many calories are in something, I pay closer attention to my comfort level if I want to eat more and quit when the signals go up. I hate feeling piggish. I can always take the rest home and either eat them there or throw them away if I'm unhappy with that food choice.
I guess it's good that I'm a picky eater. I'm afraid to try shady foreign foods. Lol. Was the calorie count for that specific restaurant? They probably differ from place to place.
I find myself also "eating then putting it in my diary" and am shocked at the number! for example I had an el pollo loco chicken bowl - healthy right? just chicken rice and beans - it was 840 calories!!!! Thank goodness I only ate 1/2 but still...I have to make sure I Know what I'm putting in my mouth before I actually eat it! (I problem I am trying to work on) :)
Not to sound harsh, but... there is no such thing as low calorie Indian restaurant. There are lower calorie choices but that is about it. Another thing I am not sure why people equate healthy with low fat, low carb, low cal. Healthy just means they didn't deep fry the hell out of it in melted lard. Tandoori chicken is healthy. It is piece of chicken marinated in yogurt (full fat), with spices and then baked in the special oven. Is it healthy? Yes. Is it low cal, low fat? No.
UD
'Dough balls in a sweet sauce'.... and you didn't think it would be choc full of calories? 
I don't think it's fair to blame the restaurant... they're only cooking food and serving it up. It's your responsibility to judge whether it's a good thing for you to be eating and how much to eat. On this occasion you got it wrong, that's all.
When you see the word 'dough' think 'bread'.... 100 cals an ounce. If you see 'sweet sauce' ... think 'melted sugar'... 40 cals a teaspoon. Better luck next time.
A few years ago, I was having Saag Paneer with a friend. I asked him why I felt full so quickly. He explained that in India, folks usually eat only once a day. The food is cooked down and reduced, so they can get a full day's worth of nutrition in one meal. This is likely why the dessert in question is so high in calories.
I'm no expert in the matter, but my friend was a chef at one time. He was very well schooled in international foods.
We are regulars at a local Indian restaurant and they always give us one of those each as a free dessert. They're just a deep-fried plain donut hole (called Timbits here in Canada) soaked in honey water, so sickeningly sweet and full of fat I feel nauseous after just one bite if I try to eat it after a full meal. I feel bad if I leave it, because they think they are being nice by giving us free dessert, but now I'll definitely leave it, knowing I'd be eating 150 cal! I can't imagine how you were able to eat 4 of them!
Heh, just imagine the calorie load of all that ghee in your dal! That dessert is just 1/4 of your worries!
American Indian restaraunts (read: those with buffets) are heavy handed with the clarified butter. When I go Indian I expect to consume an insane number of calories in otherwise innocent looking foods. 'Cause it's delicious!
Dal CAN be quite healthy, actually. But any sort of "buffet" world cuisine restaurant is a calorie-trap usually due to the ghee.
Personally, my local Indian restaurant is really good. Their desserts are limited but I've never seen a Gulab Jamun on there. They bring you out a free shot of liquer afterwards, though, though I just pass that on to someone as I don't drink. x_x
My favourites are Chana Dal (chickpea dal), Lamb Rogan Josh, Saag Aloo (potatoes, spinach and spices), anything cooked in the tandoor and a nice Sambar (like a curried pea and vegetable stew, very good with poppadums).
Actually they probably won't use ghee for buffet stuff, just tons of oil and butter. Ghee is kind of expensive. :)
UD
Ghee is just clarified butter. I don't know why people buy "Ghee."
Original Post by lalabanana:
Dal CAN be quite healthy, actually.
Yeah! If you make it yourself! Ghees and nut oils are traditional ingredients in Indian Cuisines. Most buffet style Indian places are the equivalent to Red Robin or something... but more delicious.. mmmm... *drool*
 |
New journal post Losing steam by jaunajem 02:17 |
|
New journal post My Zumba instructor by afowler8 02:16 |
 |
superzgod added emilie_f as a friend |