4 Easy Ways to Give Indian Recipes a Healthy Twist

Healthy doesn’t have to be boring. If you are looking for healthy and delicious Indian options for lunch, try out these recipes. We’ve got some healthy ideas for low-calorie, delicious Indian meals. Check these out…

1. Quinoa Chappati

Ingredients

Recipe by Rebekah Blank, Brand Head, Fabcafe by Fabindia

• Quinoa Flour: 220g or 1cup
• Olive Oil: 10g or 2 Teaspoon
• Hot water to make the dough: 3/4 cup
• Quinoa flour for dusting

Instructions

First, take all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Add hot water slowly and make a soft dough.

Do not add a lot of water at once, just add a little to bring the flour together.

Quinoa flour is very sticky while kneading. That is why using oil is a must. It helps to make it soft and smooth. Rest for 10-15 minutes.

Heat the griddle on medium flame.

Divide dough into equal parts. With this quantity, we can make 6 roti or chapatis.

Dust the rolling surface, roll this around 5-6″ diameter circle.

Place it on the griddle. After a few seconds, flip it to another side.

Cook from both sides until golden brown. Repeat the same process with the rest of the dough balls.

Quinoa roti or quinoa flatbreads are ready to serve with any curry.

2. Jhalmuri Salad Recipe 

Recipe by Rebekah Blank, Brand Head, Fabcafe by Fabindia

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup tomatoes
• 1/4 cup onions
• 1/4 cup cucumbers
• 1/4 cup boiled sweet potato
• 2 tbsp sunflower seeds
• 1 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup puffed rice
• 1/2 cup puffed makhana (fox nuts)
• 1/2 cup puffed quinoa
• 1 tbsp chopped roasted peanut
• Coriander for garnishing
• 1 tsp fresh red chilli
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 1 tbsp jaggery
• 1 tbsp water
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp Jhakhiya seeds
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

Chop all the veggies and mix with seeds and puffed grains. 
Put all the ingredients for the dressing in a blender and grind.
Sprinkle dressing over the veggie mix and garnish with coriander.

3. Karele ki Shammi (Bitter Gourd Cutlets)

Recipe by Rajesh Khanna, F&B Head, The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa 

Ingredients

• Karela (Bitter Gourd) fresh                                    500g
• Roasted channa (chickpea) powder               100g
• Garam Masala                                  10g    
• Chaat Masala                                   10g
• Roasted Cumin Powder 5g
• Salt (to taste)
• Red Chili Powder 2g
• Grated cheese 20g
• Desi Ghee 20g

Instructions:

• Take fresh karela (bitter gourd) wash properly with water and cut it into small pieces. Take out seeds and soak in salted water for an hour. 
• After this, boil water and put karela into it until cooked properly. Then take out Karela from boiling water and keep aside for cooling. Now, grind Karela in the grinder.
• Put Karela mixture in a bowl and add all ingredients into it, mix well.
• Divide into equal portions and stuff with cheese. Damp your hands, take a portion of the mixture, and roll lightly in shape of a kebab (one centimetre thick round). Prepare other kebabs in the same way.
• Heat sufficient oil in a pan and grill the kebabs till golden in colour.
• Remove from heat and serve hot with chutney.

4. Crunchy Vegetable Daal Sattu Croquettes

Recipe by Rajesh Khanna, F&B Head, The Metropolitan Hotel & Spa 

Ingredients

• 1 cup half-boiled Red Lentils or Masoor dal
• 1 potato boiled and grated
• 1 carrot grated
• 10gms French Beans finely chopped
• 2 bread slices
• 4 tbsp. ground chickpea flour or Sattu
• 4 green chillies finely chopped
• 1″ ginger chopped finely
• 2 onions chopped finely
• 1/2 garlic minced
• Salt to taste
• Pinch sugar
• 1 Tsp. Chaat Masala
• 1/4 th Tsp. Red Chili Powder
• 1/4 th Tsp. Garam Masala
• 4 Tbsp. Corn flour
• 2 tbsp. besan 
• (Optional) bread crumbs for crunchiness
• 2 tbsp. chopped coriander as needed
• Refined oil for frying

Instructions

• Boil lentils in a pressure cooker till 1 pressure. Open the lid after some time and strain the extra liquid. 
• Mash daal and set aside. Boil 1 potato and grate it. Grate 1 carrot and add finely chopped French green beans.
• Heat 2 tbsp. oil in a wok and add minced garlic and ginger. Fry lightly and add chopped onion. Then add grated potatoes and carrots. 
• Add slightly wet and mashed bread, chickpea flour, salt and sugar to taste, green chillies, red chilli powder, and lastly add mashed daal. Toss till the mixture is fully dry. 
• Sprinkle chaat masala, garam masala and chopped coriander. Make balls out of daal mixture and dip in cornflour and besan.

• Fry until crispy and serve with any kind of dip.
• Alternately these croquettes can be made in round like balls and shallow fried with 2 tbsp. oil.