301279 Sat Dec 31 19:39:10 -0800 2005 16 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 1679075 Due to the results of a recent cholesterol test, we're going to have to start eating more fruits and vegetables and less bad fat, red meat, etc. I know what's doable with takeout Chinese, but is there anything from Indian takeout that we'll be able to keep eating? I know there are many vegetarian options, but what about the sauces/cooking methods. Hope someone can give me some recommendations and guidance. Cheers. Sat Dec 31 19:39:10 -0800 2005 0 LEDS 1 1679076 well, the vegetarian options aren't going to contain much cholesterol obviously, so there's a good start. You might want to avoid fried foods such as pakoras etc. I would try lentil dishes such as dahl (mixed with rice its a particularly good protein source). Also try aloo gobi, bhengan bartha, and similar vegetable dishes. Tandoori chicken is usually cooked without skin, and is healthy. (You might want to stay away from butter chicken). Nan is fine if you ask for it without a lot of ghee. In fact, just make sure the dish isn't fried and ask if it's made with ghee; if it is you might want to avoid it. Raita sand/or a kachumber(salad) are good side dishes..... Sat Dec 31 19:56:34 -0800 2005 1679075 0 janet of reno 1 1679077 There are two things to consider...you want to reduce your bad fats, but also increase your fiber, which carries the cholesterol out of your body, sort of ... Very Good for low Cholesterol: Any Tandori Fish, esp. Salmon. Chapati Breads made from whole wheat. (Paratha is also whole wheat but is made using much more oil/butter ghee than chapati.) Dals made from any dried legumes and especially Chana Dal, if they are made with moderate amounts of ghee/oil. OK: Lean meats cooked Tandori , such as Chicken Tikka, which should be skinless breast meat, or lean meats cooked in tomato based sauces, vindloos etc. Bad: Most yogurt used for Indian cooking is whole fat, and so you will want to stay away from the creamy currys, kormas etc. And it could'nt hurt to ask for brown basmati rice...they might do it if enough people ask for it... Sat Dec 31 20:12:15 -0800 2005 1679075 0 ciaolette 1 1679082 Don't be so quick about Chinese. There are plenty of bad things in Chinese take outs even if you go with the vegetable option. Sun Jan 01 01:22:35 -0800 2006 1679075 0 Peter 2 1679083 I'm not certain, but I think "LED" was saying that of all the dishes available from Chinese take-out, he knows which ones are healthy enough to fit on his diet. Sun Jan 01 01:27:02 -0800 2006 1679082 0 Dev 2 1679084 Can't you just say "low oil or no oil" on the takeout chinese foods? I have done that in the past and you can certainly tell the difference in the tatse of the food but it satisfies the craving. Richie Sun Jan 01 09:59:48 -0800 2006 1679082 0 Richie 3 1679085 With most restaurants you can definitely ask them to reduce/eliminate the oil, and some now even have healthy menu sections that feature things like steamed veggie, chicken etc. Of course, you have to make sure that the dish you're asking them to reduce the oil from makes sense. For instance, as a vegetarian, I'm a big fan of ordering spciy eggplant. But I know that reducing the oil in this dish will kill it -- so I don't order if I'm being virtuous. Instead, I go for mu shu vegetables with little oil. I think they're actually BETTER this way, letting flash-cooked veggies w/ a bit of egg be the star of the show, and I forego the pancakes to eat them over steamed brown rice. So I would think that chicken with cashews, or with broccoli, would be a great dish to make healthier. But honey chicken, not so much. Also, if we eat the way I see many Asian people do -- mixing a bit of sauteed veggies and healthily-cooked whole fish in with their bowl of plain rice, I bet we would be eating a healthier option as well. Sun Jan 01 10:17:01 -0800 2006 1679084 0 Dev 3 1679091 Of course you can. I am just saying there is nothing automatic about healthy eating. One can't just assume it's Chinese then it's healthy. Fact is lots of Chinese food are really bad for your health. Sun Jan 01 17:18:25 -0800 2006 1679084 0 Peter 4 1679155 The biggest offenders in Chinese food are sodium and sugar. Chinese food is extremely high in sodium and sodium based products. It is also very high in sugar. The oil used usually peanut oil, which is fine, but lots of oil is often used. Chinese restaurant food was never meant to be eaten on a regular basis. If they Chinese ate that way, they would have the same health problems Americans do. If you go to a restaurant often, and they know you, you can ask for NO salt, NO sugar, very little soy sauce, very little oil. Tue Jan 03 03:34:37 -0800 2006 1679091 0 Fleur 1 1679087 Do you like eggplant by any chance? One of my favorite Indian dishes is Eggplant Bharta or Baigan Bharta, involving roasted, not fried, eggplant, peas, etc. in a delicious sauce. I can't imagine that this dish would involve sat fats at all. Also, have you considered trying to cook some of your own Chinese or Indian dishes at home some time and cut back on the take-out foods because then YOU control the ingredients, types of oils used in cooking, etc. Happy & Healthy New Year to you! Sun Jan 01 11:36:08 -0800 2006 1679075 0 Val 2 1679090 I love this dish -- good suggestion. Some places do pan fry it, I think, but you can always ask. Another great dish is bhindi masala -- okra in a tomato sauce. And chana masala, the chick pea version, is very good. I think if you go with a 'main ingredient' low in fat and cholesterol (e.g., chicken or veg) and it's cooked in a tomato based sauce, you should be in good shape. Sun Jan 01 16:58:26 -0800 2006 1679087 0 Dev 1 1679173 there is a huge variety in the way different indian restaurtants prepare their food. you will need to ask your local purveyer if they use ghee (clarified butter--not good), or coconut milk/oil (saturated fat--not good). some do, some don't, some use a lot, some use just a touch. Tue Jan 03 13:29:40 -0800 2006 1679075 0 westsidegal 2 2072268 Actually, before you issue a blanket indictment of coconut oil, be aware that there's a difference between virgin coconut oil and other types. Numerous studies show that virgin, organic coconut oil has many health benefits that seem to outweigh its saturated fat content. It's been shown to lower cholesterol, encourage weight loss, and prevent bacterial infections; it's also stable on the shelf and when cooked at high temperatures, unlike many oils we think of as "healthful." Tue Dec 05 18:50:51 -0800 2006 1679173 12341 vanillagrrl 1 2072564 Be aware that sometimes the okra in the bhindi masala is fried in a lot of oil- I've had it where it is soft and the sauce is obviously almost oil free and I've also had it where the okra is very crispy- the sauce consequently also is much more oily. Point being: always ask. However, sometimes restaurants must be clueless- case in point I was in London (home of Indian takeout!) I asked for less oil on a chicken dish- I brought it back to the hotel and there was an INCH of thick red oil on top. Oy vey! If more people would refuse to accept mess ups like that, restaurants would learn to listen to their customers requests. Tue Dec 05 20:07:20 -0800 2006 1679075 16149 NicoleFriedman 1 2075239 IMO a lot of even vegetarian Indian food has massive amounts of hidden oils via ghee and cream. It is the one type of food that my sensitive sweetie absolutely can't digest because of its richness (and spiciness). I suggest quizzing the staff. Wed Dec 06 17:11:34 -0800 2006 1679075 13564 Snackish 1 2075271 I agree with the vegetarian dishes sometimes having a lot of "hidden" fat, especially ghee (clarified butter), which would not be what you'd want for a cholesterol-lowering diet. Definitely ask the staff about options for less ghee or oil, and maybe they'd even be able to specially prepare dishes for you that way. Tandoori chicken can be a fairly good lowfat option. I also have gotten a really tasty cold potato dish (often called 'chaat' I think), which seems to be lower in fat, but not sure. Wed Dec 06 17:19:26 -0800 2006 1679075 46024 allegro805 1 2075332 also in my experience restaurant biriyani is prepared like fried rice is in Chinese restaurants-- not like it's prepared in India at all--pan-fried & super-oily. Full-fat yogurt is 35 mg cholesterol per cup-- not that much in a serving of korma, but i'd worry about how much ghee was used. i'd stick to veg dishes, southern indian or goan style dishes, or learn to make your fave dishes yourself. you can make dal very easily without any oil at all, & use healthy fats & oils in other dishes. Wed Dec 06 17:34:26 -0800 2006 1679075 46030 soupkitten