Indian Food- need healthy menu suggestions

Hi, everyone! My date is taking me to an Indian restaurant tonight- I haven't had it in years, but the last time I did, I remember loving it. I have really been on a great eating/exercise routine as of late and I really like to eat healthfully.

Can someone with "Indian cuisine experience" please give me some healthy options to look for this evening? I have looked a bit on the internet, too, but figured someone here would have some great input.

Thanks so much!

Ooohh I love Indian food... I've just started trying to eat more healthily and Indian food is going to be one of my biggest challenges! I love the creamy sauces...

Anyway here's a website with some tips for eating Indian food healthily. It recommends chicken tikka, which is always delicious. www.diet-blog.com/archives/2006/09/08/indian_ food_healthy_options.php

Go easy on the rice and naan, and avoid cream-based dishes.

 

Mmm...indian food.

Thank you for the suggestions!!

anyone else have any suggestions? THank you!!

oh yum, i LOVE indian! i've always heard tandoori chicken is a good choice, i think it's marinated in a yogurt base and baked in the oven.

I usually start with either Mullagatawny (sp?) soup or a house salad which has a nice vinegrette dressing and a lil but of paneer cheese.

Any Tandoor dish is good since it is baked in a clay over,my local place has tandoor tofu and shrimp too!

I think most dishes are ok in moderation just look for creamy coconut sauces and limit or ask for them on the side, I will say steer far away from Samosas! They are sooooo high in fat and calories!!!

Thanks, all! Hi, Jules :)!

Okay...will look for the Tandoor dishes. A deli/bakery where I went to college used to have Mullagatawny soup once a week and it was one of the best things I have ever eaten- didn't realize it was Indian...hope they have it! I appreciate it all....

I am hungry ;)!

Palak Paneer is my favorite and it contains a lot of spinach. I've had it done some places where I could tell it was much healthier then others, just depending on the restaurant. I would ask the server what they recommend.

Tandoor stuff is always a good option and indian salads are usually delicious, all that I have had contained romaine and great dressings that weren't  too heavy.

I see that your date was yesterday, I hope you found something healthy!

just so u know....tandoori chicken is first cooked in oven and then deep fried.... not always the best choice...u cud try south indian dishes like idli or dosa....they are made out of rice and lentils...they are filling and relatively low in calories...so wat did u eat???

I ended up getting a great, great dish...couldn't remember the name this morning, but through some help, I think it was the  Chicken jalfrezi....regardless, it was amazing. My friend got the chicken korma, which I didn't get b/c the sauce was creamy...but I tried it and it was awesome, too...can't wait to go back!! :)

Thanks you all for the suggestions!

Original Post by meagollum:

just so u know....tandoori chicken is first cooked in oven and then deep fried.... not always the best choice...u cud try south indian dishes like idli or dosa....they are made out of rice and lentils...they are filling and relatively low in calories...so wat did u eat???

 Ew...I don't know where you go that they do that, it's not traditional as far as I know, and I have never seen it in an indian restaurant here, its all just tandoor-oven cooked and not a trace of fat.

Also the kebabs are a good choice. I like the sizzle dishes, but there is some oil used for making them sizzle, so not ideal....but way better than the creamy sauces. Mmmm butter chicken sauce....

Agreed, I'm fairly sure tandoori dishes shouldn't be fried at any stage if done properly!

I agree with the last two posts.  I don't know where you're going that deep fries tandoori chicken!!!!  I make it at home all the time and either BBQ it as kebabs or bake it in the oven.  Either way it's just as healthy as regular baked or BBQ chicken.  I also like dahl (red lentil based) or any of the several dishes that have lots of chickpeas and vegetables.

ever wondered y the restaurant made tandoori chicken is crispy...they dont get that texture from just the tandoor oven...they deep fry it too...i have read this in multiple indian food blogsites....

I'm sorry meagollum but you have got it completely wrong on the Tandoori Chicken. At no stage of preparing tandoori chicken is the chicken fried. If anyone does that, they have no idea of what they are trying to cook. The skinless chicken is marinated in the tandoori marination (yogurt based) and then stuck into to tandoor to cook.

Trust me...I'm an Indian :) 

Someone said palak paneer (or saag paneer at some places) and it is very delicious but it's also in a cream based sauce.
Tandoori chicken is NOT friend so you'd be fine to get that. It's usually spicy and it's pretty good.
There are some tomato based dishes... just check the menu. :)