Indian recipes are handy for weekend evenings: the kitchen is relatively easy to prepare, perfect for preparing meals, and (when cooked authentically) incredibly healthy. In fact, the mix of vegetables, fruits, proteins, and grains is almost the ideal balance – and to top it off, Indian food is bold and delicious.
But if you’re new to Indian cuisine (or starting again after a long hiatus), choosing the right ingredients and recipes can be a bit overwhelming. “Whether it’s Indian or American or some other cultural food, it’s not that much different,” says Sarika Shah, MS, RDN, a California-based nutritionist. “The goal is a plant-based diet in all flavors.”
Is Indian Food Healthy?
In short, yes. While it is impossible to reduce all of India’s regional cuisines to one type of cuisine – there are dozens – the traditional makeup of most Indian dishes balances the food groups with ease.
For the uninitiated, Shah explains, Indian meals include a main course with vegetables, a main course with meat, dal (a lentil dish), rice, roti (round flatbread), yogurt, and kachumber (a cold salad). Vegetarians and vegans simply do without food with animal products. In this form, Indian food is balanced and provides fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals.
But Americanized Indian food may be a different story. In order to prepare faster meals, home cooks often leave out the vegetables. “All Indian dishes have vegetables. But when we assimilate to the US, we tend to go out, ”says Shah. “What we do [here] Serves a large bowl of rice, puts some dal on it and calls it a meal. ”
In addition, Shah notes, an over-reliance on cream and butter (and even ghee or clarified butter) makes Indian-American cuisine heavier than traditional.
How To Cook Healthy Indian Inspired Recipes
“For non-Indians,” Shah recommends making simple swaps that will keep your recipes as nutritious as possible. For example, buy roti made with whole wheat flour instead of white flour or use quinoa, farro or barley instead of rice. “For the Indian, go back to your roots – go back to the path that” [this food] was taken.”
Serving yourself is your next opportunity to make healthy choices. “When you serve your food, make sure that half of your plate is made up of vegetables, cooked or uncooked,” says Shah. Then divide the remaining half evenly between carbohydrates like rice or roti (or a little bit of both) and protein like a cup of dal, yogurt, meat or tofu.
Where to Buy Healthy Indian Ingredients
“Go to the Indian grocery store,” Shah recommends to non-Indian cooks. “I am not going to ask you to invest in every Indian spice. But if you want to make a traditional product like chole, you can buy a condiment packet, tomatoes, canned chickpeas, spinach and some onions and let it cook. “
If you are new to Indian cuisine, you shouldn’t be afraid to try new spices: turmeric, chilli powder, coriander, cumin, mustard seeds, cinnamon, cloves and more all play a big role in masalas (spice mixes) you can buy in every grocery store.
Is your mouth watering yet? Read on to find our all-time wholesome, Indian-inspired favorite recipes that are guaranteed to hit your dining table.
Even if you’ve never cooked Indian food for yourself, you’ve probably tried Chicken Tikka Masala. This pan version manages to pack onions, cauliflower, chickpeas, carrots and yogurt, all touchstones of Indian cuisine.
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Unlike other recipes, this chicken curry (which gets its distinctive taste from garam masala) swaps the cream for yogurt. In addition, everything comes together in just half an hour – exactly on par with your favorite restaurant, but much more satisfying.
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Pulissery, also called Moru-Curry, is a hearty coconut-based buttermilk curry that tastes divine with rice. This version uses taro as its base, but you can use pumpkin, papaya, yam, or banana depending on your taste.
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Break out the air fryer for this filling salad that makes the most of cauliflower, zucchini, onions, and herbs, plus tons of turmeric and cumin. No more sad salads for lunch – this one is in a completely different league.
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If you haven’t already noticed, cauliflower plays a huge role in Indian-inspired recipes. This vegetarian staple turns the vegetables (plus healthy servings of potatoes, turmeric, and ginger) into a main course worthy of any dining table.
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Taking a decidedly new take on Indian flavors, these fluffy waffles are bursting with pale flavors of curry, coriander, red onions, and golden raisins – topped with Greek yogurt and lots of rocket. Are they breakfast or dinner? We let you decide.
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While it might look like a lot of work, this turmeric and cumin-flavored soup (which is surprisingly high in protein and fiber) only takes an hour to come together. Garnish with pepitas, coconut cream and fresh black pepper and enjoy every spoon.
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With brightly colored carrots and fresh oranges, this lively salad oozes rich, earthy flavor. And while these two ingredients would be amazing on their own, they reach new heights with chaat masala, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and lime juice.
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Any solid grain – including red rice, wild rice, or even farro – makes a perfect base for this salad, which shines with fresh mango, sliced spinach, and crushed peanuts. Bonus: It travels well which means you can take this dish with you anywhere.
Get the recipe from Saffron Trail »
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