Indian restaurant offering menu of low fat dishes and free brown rice for those on January diets

INDIAN Street food is one of the big eating trends for this year and for health and budget conscious Scots, one restaurant is offering every diner free brown rice and a selection of specially chosen low fat dishes throughout January.

Northern Indian restaurant The Dhabba in Glasgow’s Candleriggs, Merchant City, knows that a heavy curry is not necessarily first on everyone’s January wish list particularly after a festive binge.

So to counteract the dietary and financial costs, the restaurant which hosts a whole range of streetfood, veggie, fish, chicken and lamb dishes is helping customers to get more nutrition and value from their menu.

Owner Navdeep Basi explained: “People are spent out after Christmas and are health conscious at new year.

“Our customers range from twenty-five to sixty-five-year-olds who care about what they eat and we want to help them with something a bit different.”

From January 15-21, the restaurant is offering complimentary high fibre boiled brown rice along with their main dishes.

Navdeep adds: “Like brown bread it’s a healthier alternative, but something you won’t get in any other Indian restaurant in Scotland so we want people to have the chance to try it.

“All The Dhabba’s staff are also able to advise on special diets ranging from high protein low fat low carb ones to low fat high carb diet – whatever people want to have – and people don’t have to sacrifice flavour to eat what is good for them.”

Navdeep and his chefs says that sauces and breads carry the most calories in Indian food and they have specially devised several dishes that take that into account.

He said: “If you are looking at getting rid of spare tyres there are lots of choices. Every dish is very well seasoned but doesn’t have a lot of sauce.

The North Indian dishes Navdeep and his staff recommend include meals like Subzi Tak-a-Tak and Baowli Jheengha as well as Tandoori or Biryani dishes.

He said: “Sibzi Tak-a-Tak India is a medley of sautéed Indian vegetables with round melon, bitter gourd, caulifower, aubergines and okra. It’s a costume drama of a meal.”

Aloo Gobi is also a healthy alternative which is like an Indian Bubble and Squeak and consists of a traditional tumble of potatoes, cauliflower and garden peas with some extra spice.”

“We also have Baowli Jheengha – King prawns, peppers and potatoes tossed in a sauce with wonderful aromatic spices. There are lots of options and we encourage anyone who is on a special diet to come in and see us.”

Healthy Options – Dry Dishes (minimal sauce)

Dry vegetable curries

Subzi Tak-a-Tak

Aloo Gobi

All Tandoori dishes – Seafood, meats and vegetables cooked in a clay oven. Usually a favourite for gym regulars.

All Biryani (choice of veg, chicken or lamb mixed with basmati rice) dishes with raita (a soothing vegetable and yogurt accompaniment).

Baowli Jheengha – King Prawn and vegetable curry (again dry)

All the above (with the exception of Biryani) eaten with either boiled basmati rice, either white or even brown if you are conscious of your fibre intake.

In summary, dry but well seasoned (you don’t want to sacrifice taste) dishes with either white or brown boiled rice.