Low calorie Indian Recipes: 2

Plain Parathas

Preparation time: 10 minutes * Cooking time: a few minutes * Makes 12 thin parathas

Ingredients For the dough 1 teacup whole wheat flour ¼ teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon oil For cooking · 2 teaspoons melted butter Accompaniment 1 teacup fresh curd For making dough § Mix all the ingredients and enough water to make a soft dough. § Divide the dough into 12 portions and roll out each portion into very thin 150mm diameter rounds. How to proceed § Cook on a tawa (griddle) very lightly for a few seconds. § Put a portion of the desired stuffing in each paratha and fold. Arrange on a greased baking tray. § Brush the parathas lightly with butter and bake in a hot oven at 200 deg C until light pink in colour (about 5 minutes). Alternatively, cook on a tawa (griddle) on both sides and brush lightly with butter or oil. # Serve hot with curd. Note: 1 teacup fresh curd contains 63 calories i.e.5 calories per serving.

Health Information: Whole grain flour contains more vitamins, minerals and fibre as compared to highly refined flour where most of the vitamins and minerals are destroyed during processing. When parathas or chapattis are combined with a small amount of pulses and beans or with a dairy product like curds, the amino acids in these complement each other to give a higher quality of protein

Per Paratha: Calories 54 *Protein: 2g * Carbohydrates: g * Fat: 1.5 g

Pumpkin Handva

Preparation Time: 10 minutes * Cooking Time: 15 minutes * Serves 5

Ingredients 3 teacups grated white pumpkin (lauki) 5 tablespoons coarse jowar flour 1 chopped green chili 2 tablespoons chopped coriander 1/4 teaspoons soda bi-carb 2 pinches sugar Salt to taste For the topping 1 chopped tomato 1 chopped onion 2 tablespoons tomato ketchup or sweet and sour sauce Squeeze out a little water from the pumpkin. Add the flour, green chili, coriander, soda bi-carb, sugar and salt and mix well Spread the mixture on a baking tray and bake in a hot oven at 225 degree Celsius for 15 minutes. Top with the tomato, onion and ketchup or sweet and sour sauce * Cut into pieces and Serve

Health Information: Pumpkin contains 96% water and makes this traditional Gujarati dish low in calories. Jowar contains more iron than wheat flour. It also imparts an unusual flavour to the handva

Per Serving: Calories: 79 * Protein: 2g * Carbohydrates: 17g * Fat: 03.5g

Spicy Spinach Dumplings

Preparation Time: 10 minutes * Cooking Time: 10 minutes * Makes 10 pieces

Ingredients 2 teacups finely chopped spinach 1 chopped green chili 1 tablespoon gram flour (besan) 2 teaspoons whole wheat flour 2 teaspoons fresh curds (optional) A pinch asafoetida A pinch sugar 1 teaspoon oil Salt to taste Mix all the ingredients, using curds if the mixture is too dry for shaping Shape into small flat rounds Steam the rounds in a cooker for 5 to 7 minutes * Serve Hot

Health Information: A light , vitamin rich snack for spinach lovers made using the calorie reducing steaming technique.

Per Paratha: Calories: 17 * Protein: 1g * Carbohydrates: 2g * Fat: 0.6g

Spicy Tomato Rasam

Preparation Time: 5 minutes * Cooking Time: 25 minutes * Makes 12 cups

Ingredients For the Masala powder 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 1-1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds 8 peppercorns Other Ingredients 1 kg tomatoes 3 tablespoons tamarind water 1 teaspoons lemon juice 2 pinches turmeric powder 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida Salt to taste For garnish 1 tablespoon chopped coriander For the Masala Powder Roast the cumin seeds, coriander seeds and peppercorns for 1 minute. Grind into a masala powder How to Proceed Cut the tomatoes in half and place in 8 glasses of boiling water Add the remaining ingredients including the masala powder and boil for a further 10 minutes Break the tomatoes with a spoon Boil again for 10 minutes * Garnish with chopped coriander and Serve hot.

Health Information: In this South Indian recipe, the spices help to increase flavour and decrease salt requirement. Tomatoes provide a lot of Vitamins A, C, and K.

Per Cup: Calories: 25 * Protein: 1g * Carbohydrates: 5g * Fat: 0.4g

Spinach Stuffing for Plain Parathas

Preparation Time: 10 minutes * Cooking Time: 5 minutes * For 12 Parathas

Ingredients 4 teacups finely chopped spinach 2 chopped onions 2 chopped green chilies 4 tablespoons crumbled paneer 2 teaspoons oil Salt to taste Heat the oil and fry the onions for 1/2 minutes. Add the green chilies and fry again for a few seconds Add the spinach and cook for 2 minute Drain the water, if any Add the paneer and salt

Health Information: Spinach is a good source of folic acid, Vitamin A, iron and calcium and is good for growing children.

Per Paratha: Calories: 25, * Protein: 2g * Carbohydrates: 2.5g * Fat: 1g

Stuffed Bajra Roti

Preparation Time: 10 minutes * Cooking Time: 30 minutes * Makes 8 rotis

Ingredients For the dough 2 teacups bajra flour A pinch salt To be mixed into a stuffing 1/2 teacup crumbled paneer 2 tablespoons chopped fenugreek (methi) leaves 1 chopped green chili 1 finely chopped large tomato Salt to taste For Serving 2 teaspoons butter (optional) For the dough Add salt and hot water to the bajra flour and make dough Knead well, divide into 16 portions and roll out each portion into thin rotis How to proceed Spread a little stuffing on one roti. Then put another roti on top and press well so that it becomes one roti. Repeat for the remaining rotis and stuffing. Cook each stuffed roti on a tawa (griddle) on both sides without oil. * Serve hot. If you like, apply a little butter, before serving.

Health Information: Bajra is a coarse millet which has no gluten and can be eaten by people requiring gluten free diets. This roti is high in fibe and iron

Per Paratha: Calories: 115 * Protein: 7g * Carbohydrates: 18g * Fat: 1.4g

Tomato and Cauliflower Curry

Preparation time: 10 minutes * Cooking time: 30 minutes * Makes 6 cups.

Ingredients · ½ kg. Tomatoes · ¼ kg. Cauliflower · 4 teaspoons gram flour (besan) · 10 guar or clustered beans, cut into pieces · 10 okra (ladies’ fingers), cut into big pieces · 2 tablespoons sliced white pumpkin (lauki) · 2 slit green chilies · ½ teaspoon mustard seeds · ½ teaspoon cumin seeds a pinch asafetida · 2 teaspoons oil · Salt to taste 1. Cook the tomatoes and cauliflower in 6 teacups of water until soft. Blend in a mixer. 2. Mix the gram flour with ¼ teacup of water and add to the mixture. 3. Add the remaining vegetables, green chilies, chili powder and salt and boil for 15 minutes. 4. Heat the oil and fry the mustard seeds and cumin seeds until they crackle. Add the asafetida. 5. Add to the mixture and boil again for 5 minutes. * Serve hot.

Health Information: Rich in fibre, this recipe contains pumpkin and guar which add to the nutrient value. Guar has the effect of reducing blood sugar and may be used as an additive to flour for diabetics.

Per Serving: Calories 67 * Protein 3g * Carbohydrates 10g * Fat 2.4g

Suji Idli

Preparation Time: 10 minutes * Cooking Time: 25 minutes * Makes 70 small idlis

Ingredients 1 teacup semolina (suji) 1 teacup fresh curds 1 teaspoon fruit salt 1 teacup finely chopped cabbage 1 chopped onion 2 tablespoons chopped coriander a few curry leaves 2 to 3 finely chopped green chilies salt to taste Roast the semolina on a tawa (griddle) without any oil until it becomes yellow or very light pink in colour Mix the curds with the fruit salt and add the remaining ingredients to make a batter Steam in a small idli mould for 10 minutes * Serve hot

Health Information: Small finger snacks which are low in calories. Rich in Vitamins K, C and essential amino acids

Per Paratha: Calories: 8 * Protein: 0.5g * Carbohydrates: 2g * Fat: 0g