[hdsqrl]

Hey all,

There's a mid-sized chance we may be meeting some friends of ours for a birthday celebration (theirs) at an Indian restaurant next weekend. Prior to LAWL, I ADORED chicken curry, but am not sure it's on the approved list.

Anyone have any experience successfully incorporating Indian food into their plan? I need some ideas of what's safe to eat!

[Dan2112]

Well, here's a pretty basic Chicken Curry recipe from foodtv.com...

5 cloves garlic
One 3-inch chunk peeled, fresh ginger
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 heaping teaspoon whole cloves
10 green cardamom pods
8 whole allspice
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
1 bay leaf
1 medium yellow onion
2 teaspoons Madras-style curry powder
1/2 jalapeno, or more to taste
3 pounds mixed skinless, bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks (separated)
1/2 cup whole, peeled, canned tomatoes (with puree), roughly chopped
2 cups cold water
Serving suggestion: Basmati rice and chutney

So it looks like lots of spices along with tomatoes...

So maybe count it as one P, one V, and one S (if you eat the rice)

I would count on there being plenty of salt added, as a lot of resaurants go heavy on the salt when cooking... I'd drink plenty of water with it and try not to eat much of the sauce that will be plated with the chicken...

Mmmmmm.. Chicken curry...

[juliemarie]

I think you're right Dan-except I would probably add 1 Fat to those exhanges . . .

[Dan2112]

Yeah.. I guess so.. Based on the cooking oil... Definetely!

[Barb316]

That recipe looks good! I have to print that one out

[hdsqrl]

Thanks, Dan! I did some digging online and found some other suggestions for things I might order:
Vindaloo dishes (like a sweet & sour curry)
Tandoori dishes (meat is rubbed with spices and then baked in a special oven)
Pappadom (tortilla-looking things made from lentils)
Steamed rice
Chutney
Salad (if they offer it)

I think I'm well equipped!

[Dan2112]

And after looking at your possibilities, you'll be well stuffed as well! I LOVE Indian Food...

[hdsqrl]

Pushing this topic back up to the top in case some of our newer members have some good ideas for what's safe to eat. I never did go to the Indian place back when I posted this (I think we got snowed in or something), but we'll be going tomorrow night to wish farewell and good luck to a friend of ours who is shipping out to Iraq (*sad*). Any new thoughts on what's a safe choice to eat at an Indian place, or what is especially important to avoid? My COD folks had blank looks on their faces when I asked them for help, heh.

[mamabanana]

Avoid ANYTHING with their sauces, they are full of fat...Id get chicken tikka, its not totally spicy and is cooked in a claypot, its amazing. You can have some naan (bread) too and you can get some channa bagi (chickpeas) and go light on the sauce...

[Chick With Stix]

Tandoori is good...mmm...I haven't had Indian food in sooooo long.

[mamabanana]

Very high sodium too...drink lots of water!

[hdsqrl]

Thanks, y'all! That helps. The place we're going to has an online menu, but no nutritional content, so I'm doing all I can to be prepared before I go. I'll be chugging the lemon water while I'm there and afterward, for sure.

[JennAPeach]

I'd stick with the Tandoori, Tikka, Masala and the choices you mentioned upthread. Definitely stay away from Korma, which is a cream sauce.

You can also have half a small naan for a starch.

[mamabanana]

Get the plain Tikka, NOT Tikka Masala which has a tomato and cream based sauce with plenty of daal (pure fat)

[hdsqrl]

*writing all this down*
You rock!

If you google "korma sutra", the place we're going is the first link that pops up...in case you wanted to see the menu. That place is SOOO good...just wish it was more LAWL-friendly.