Mehernosh Mody is behind the eclectic menu at West London's La Porte des
Indes, which features classic, vegetarian and light lunch menus as well as
offering live cooking demonstrations. Here Mehernosh shares his top tips for
keeping your Indian dishes authentic and healthy...
Use oil sparingly...
Olive oil has been found to have great health benefits but should be used
only for stir-frying and pan-frying, and just a splash is needed. It is not
recommended for deep-frying due to the large quantity required. Using non-stick
cookware can help you to limit the use of oil when cooking curries.
Cut down on fat...
If trying to cut down the fat content of your meal, change the menu and cook
Indian dishes and breads that require no frying.
Substitutions for coconut milk...
For adding richness to a dish, try using skimmed milk, cashew nut paste or
poppy seed paste instead of the regular coconut milk or cream.
Try
tandoori...
Grill, boil, steam and bake instead of frying where possible. Tandoori
grilling is the best form of cooking where minimal or no oil is used and the
intense heat cooks the food quickly, sealing in all the nutrients.
Simple swaps...
Opt for wholemeal flour instead of plain flour when making chappatis or
parathas and swap white rice for brown basmati.
Lighten the load...
Bulk up dishes using healthy legumes such as sprouted beans and lentils. You
will still get a substantial meal but using less meat will make your dish
lighter.
Better-for-you bases...
While coconut products such as creams and milks have health benefits, the fat
content is usually high so opt for tomato bases rather than creamy curries or
use low-fat yogurt as a substitute.
