How I Make South Asian Dishes More Nutritious: Chef, Dietitian Advice

• Insiders talked with nutritionists and chefs about how to add vegetables to South Asian diets to reduce fat.
• Ethnic food is not “unhealthy” in nature, and cultural recipes can be used to add important nutrients.
• Balancing carbohydrates with vegetables and protein and reducing fat can have long-term health benefits.

As a health reporter and Pakistani-American, dinner time can sometimes feel like a challenge.

I want to eat the food I grew up with while getting all the nutrients and fiber. Pakistani food, like all ethnic foods, is not “unhealthy” in nature, but some foods are high in rice and oil and may be low in fresh vegetables.

Eating nutritious foods is especially important for South Asians, who make up 60% of the world’s heart disease patients and are at high risk for type 2 diabetes. A balanced diet reduces the risk of both chronic illnesses.

I told Najima Cresi, a registered dietitian and co-founder of Healthy Muslims, and Meereen Karim, a chef and editor of Bonapetti, to make South Asian cuisine more nutritious while preserving traditional flavors. We talked about how to make it expensive.

Here are five dietitian- and chef-approved ways to keep and balance South Asian cuisine.

1. For high carb dishes, add vegetables and protein

One of the biggest trends in South Asian cuisine is its reliance on refined whole grain carbohydrates from rice and bread.

Carbohydrates in rice and bread have a bad reputation with health-affecting people, but these cheap staple foods contain important nutrients such as iron B vitamins, and eating carbohydrates can help when exercising. Helps to rebuild muscles by giving.

Curry plate on top of rice with sides Roti (Flatbread) But it doesn’t provide you with the fiber, protein, and nutrients from the vegetables you need. Eating too much carbs can cause your blood sugar to spike, eventually crashing, making you feel tired and tired.

According to Cresi, half a plate is filled with fresh and cooked vegetables, reducing rice consumption to about one cup.

2. Marinated vegetables with yogurt and spices to enhance the flavor. Be careful not to overcook.

Some of the most popular South Asian dishes are okra, spinach, eggplant and other vegetables, all important sources of vitamins and minerals.

When making vegetable dishes, Cresi told me not to overcook the vegetables. Excessive cooking can remove the bright colors of vegetables and remove nutrients, but when cooked correctly, it can add health benefits that do not exist in the raw state.

I usually add one seasonal vegetable to South Asian cuisine, but garlic Brussels sprouts can be as uncomfortable as spicy chicken.

To keep the diet cohesive, Karim recommends marinating vegetables with yogurt, lemon and traditional spices. “I understand that any kind of yogurt marinade works on more than just poultry and fish,” she said.

According to Karim, crushed cardamom, coriander seeds, peppercorn and all other spices can be blended and used as a butternut squash crust to add texture.

3. Try air frying and roasting on the fried food to give it a crispy feel.

Karim said that when people are looking for “healthy” food, but don’t want to sacrifice flavor and joy, they are often looking for a “satisfactory texture.”

The fried food may be crispy, and it is delicious no matter what you fried. Instead of frying, Karim said it’s crispy by frying, roasting, and baking in the air.

“For dishes that contain fried foods, it is convenient to use an air fryer instead, or to roast in a specific place that is marinated in the same flavor but clogged in the oven instead of being oiled.”

Broccoli was marinated in yogurt, lemon and spices and baked for a few minutes to give it a slightly charred, slightly charred appearance.

4. Utilize plant-based proteins traditionally used in South Asian cuisine

Add protein to the plate via lentils, chickpeas, and other plant-based (not to mention cheap) proteins.

South Asians have historically made dozens of different things Dar (Lentils) Recipe using red, yellow and black varieties. In my home, lentils acted as an easy and cheap protein when there was a shortage of groceries.

“Thanks to the rise of Western veganism, lentils have become more common in Western cuisine, but I call them veganism and apparently vegetarian. [in South Asia] “Before the Western obsession, I learned a lot about how to use lentils for cooking,” Karim said.

The plant-based protein added by Cresi is rich in fiber, an indigestible carbohydrate that can help intestinal health and regulate blood sugar levels.

With their advice, I chola chaat (Chickpea stall food)-Inspired salad to add extra protein and vegetables to my plate. A quick combination of tomatoes, cucumbers, a can of chickpeas sitting behind the pantry, lemons, and a pre-made spice blend.

I added a spicy nut mix on top for an extra texture.

5. Reduces oil and butter usage, but does not need to be cut completely

Fat definitely adds flavor, and Karim never suggests that the cook cut it off completely. Ghee and coconut oil, a type of clarified butter, are also culturally and religiously important in parts of South Asia.

The secret to fat is to reduce the amount, Cresi said. Limit the oil to 1 teaspoon or find a spray bottle and spread it evenly in the pan. Karim recommended adding cottage cheese or puree avocado blended into a creamy or buttery dish to add nutrients.

And store the following fried foods Samosas (Vegetable or meat dumplings) and Pakora (Fried vegetables) Cresi said that it’s not a daily staple, but an occasional meal.

Non-Western food is also healthy

Karim and Cresi’s advice worked. I left the Pakistani flavor for dinner, but I was able to get a good balance of carbohydrates and fats by adding more vegetables. The rest of the night was full and I couldn’t wait to get up the next day and eat the leftovers.

You don’t have to sacrifice cultural food to have a balanced diet, Cresi said. Small changes made overtime can lead to long-term health benefits. “You don’t have to turn everything upside down to be healthy,” she said.