Defining a 'Typical' Indian Takeaway Meal
What constitutes a 'typical' Indian takeaway meal can vary, but studies often define it as a combination of popular dishes. For a single person, this usually includes a starter, a main course with a creamy sauce and meat, and a carbohydrate side like rice or naan.
A common meal might look like this:
- Starter: A few poppadoms with chutneys or a couple of onion bhajis.
- Main: A creamy chicken tikka masala or chicken korma.
- Carb Sides: Pilau rice and a naan bread.
While portion sizes from restaurants are often large enough for two people, many individuals consume the entire meal themselves, leading to a massive calorie intake. A Safefood study cited by RTE revealed a meal of poppadoms, onion bhajis, chicken tikka masala, and pilau rice contained 2,287 calories.
Calorie Breakdown of Popular Dishes
To understand the total, it's essential to look at the individual components. The calorie counts can vary widely based on ingredients, portion sizes, and cooking methods used by each restaurant. Here is a comparison of some popular dishes based on available data:
| Dish | Approximate Calories per Serving (restaurant) | Key Ingredients | Calorie Factor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken Tikka Masala | 580-1,249+ | Chicken, creamy tomato sauce, spices | Cream and oil content can be very high. |
| Chicken Korma | 599-1,248+ | Chicken, coconut milk, cream, spices | Rich, creamy sauce significantly increases calories. |
| Chicken Jalfrezi | 385-721 | Chicken, stir-fried vegetables, tomato base | Lower in fat than creamy curries. |
| Vegetable Biryani | 300-550 | Rice, vegetables, spices, ghee | Ghee and oil contribute significant calories. |
| Lamb Rogan Josh | 525 | Lamb, oil-based tomato sauce, spices | High calorie potential from oil and meat. |
| Pilau Rice | 200-500 | Basmati rice, oil, spices | Oil content varies greatly between restaurants. |
| Plain Naan | 395 | Refined flour, butter | High in refined carbs and fat. |
| Peshwari Naan | 748 | Refined flour, coconut, almonds, butter | Added coconut and sugar dramatically increase calories. |
| Onion Bhaji (single) | 95 | Onion, batter, deep-fried | Frying adds a significant amount of oil. |
Factors Influencing Calorie Counts
Several factors contribute to the high calorie count found in many Indian takeaway meals, making home-cooked versions a potentially healthier option.
Cooking Methods
- Frying and Deep-Frying: Many starters and breads are deep-fried, soaking up large amounts of oil. Dishes like samosas and onion bhajis can be particularly high in calories for this reason.
- Slow-Cooking: While delicious, slow-cooked curries often involve high volumes of oil, ghee, or butter to build flavour, which adds calories.
- Tandoori Cooking: Tandoori dishes, cooked in a clay oven, are often a healthier choice as the meat is grilled rather than fried, reducing the overall fat content.
Ingredients and Portion Sizes
- Cream and Ghee: Rich sauces in dishes like korma and tikka masala rely heavily on cream, coconut milk, and ghee (clarified butter), which are all very high in saturated fat and calories.
- Refined Grains: Breads like naan are typically made with refined white flour and coated in butter, contributing empty calories. Pilau rice is cooked with oil, unlike plain boiled rice which is a lighter option.
- Excessive Oil: Takeaway restaurants often use more oil than home cooks to enhance flavour and create richness, a major contributor to high calorie counts.
- Portion Sizes: As noted in multiple studies, takeaway portion sizes are frequently oversized, often providing enough food for two people. Consuming a full portion can lead to a calorie intake that exceeds a person's daily needs.
Mindful Choices for Healthier Indian Takeaway
Enjoying a tasty Indian takeaway doesn't have to break your calorie budget. By making mindful choices, you can significantly reduce the intake of fats and calories while still enjoying the rich flavours.
- Opt for lighter mains: Instead of creamy curries like korma or tikka masala, choose tomato-based or dry curries such as chicken jalfrezi, madras, or bhuna. Tandoori-cooked meats are also excellent low-fat protein sources.
- Embrace lentils and vegetables: Dishes based on pulses and vegetables, like daal (lentil curry), chana masala (chickpea curry), or bhindi masala (okra), are typically lower in calories and higher in fibre.
- Choose boiled rice over pilau: A simple swap from pilau to boiled rice can save around 100 calories per portion.
- Select a lighter bread: If you must have bread, a whole wheat roti is a much lighter and higher-fibre option than a buttered naan or the extremely high-calorie peshwari naan.
- Control your portions: Consider sharing a main course with a friend or saving half for a meal the next day. This is a simple but effective way to manage your calorie intake.
- Start with a lighter starter: Avoid deep-fried items like samosas and onion bhajis. A tandoori chicken tikka starter is a much healthier option, or opt for a simple raita or salad.
Making Healthier Choices
It's possible to enjoy Indian food responsibly by adjusting your ordering habits. When ordering a takeaway, specify a few adjustments. Ask for less oil, particularly in the curries and rice. Some restaurants are happy to accommodate requests for 'light on oil'. Selecting grilled or roasted dishes over fried ones is a surefire way to cut calories. For those who love the creamy texture of curries, asking to use a yoghurt-based sauce instead of heavy cream or coconut milk can dramatically lower the fat and calorie content.
The Importance of Balanced Meals
While this article focuses on takeaways, a balanced diet is about moderation. For those seeking healthy, balanced meals inspired by Indian cuisine, numerous resources exist. For example, exploring recipes at sites like BBC Good Food offers a range of authentic yet healthy options.
Conclusion
While a typical Indian takeaway meal can be surprisingly high in calories, understanding the component parts and the factors at play is the first step toward moderation. The heavy use of cream, oil, and ghee in popular dishes, combined with large portion sizes, is the main culprit. By making conscious, healthier choices like opting for grilled meats and vegetable-based curries, and by controlling portion sizes, you can still enjoy the delicious flavours of Indian cuisine without exceeding your daily calorie intake. With a few simple swaps, your favourite takeaway can become a much healthier treat.
