A wholesome meal of phulka, aloo methi, papaya relish and ghiya ki sabzi is as healthy as the Continental palette suggests the chef, who is treating the city to some scrumptious yet light food
A wholesome meal of phulka, aloo methi, papaya relish and ghiya ki sabzi is as healthy as the Continental palette suggests the chef, who is treating the city to some scrumptious yet light food
Eating at an Indian restaurant is often considered to be a weight watcher's nightmare. Even the thought of those dollops of ghee, oily tadkas, deep-fried koftas and butter-drenched naans are enough to add to your tyres. But what if the meal is turned into a wholesome feast with finger-licking flavours?
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That's what chef Anil Khurana has currently on offer at Aangan, the Indian restaurant at Hyatt Regency Hotel. The menu comprising phulkas, aloo methi, chicken curry, khichdi et al will remind you of home-cooked goodness but can't be called simple!
"I have chosen a menu that doesn't make you feel too heavy. Many executives prefer Continental lunches to an Indian meal, fearing the latter will add to the calories. But this light menu is perfect for a summer lunch. I have kept oil and ghee to a minimum, cut out the cashewnut paste from gravies and have chosen dishes that are known for their natural cooling effect like ghiya (bottlegourd) and cucumber," begins Khurana.
Desi taste
Start the meal with a refreshing glass of chaach or nimbu paani and don't forget to nibble on the roasted masala papad served with an assortment of pickles, especially the papaya relish. The relish, made from steamed papaya slices soaked in sugar syrup, is crunchy with aromatic flavours of saunf (fennel seeds). Try this instead of a mayonnaise dip at summer day parties. Can be served with cucumber sticks. And there is no doubt about its health quotient.
The aloo-methi and the ghiya ki sabzi do not leave telltale oily stains but it's the rajma that steals the show. Prepared with the chef's secret recipe the rajma doesn't have the usual ghee or garam masala garnish. "Fresh spices and cooking on a slow fire does the trick," reveals the chef.
Both the chicken and lamb curries are light and you can dig into them without a worry because the thin gravies don't have the gooeyness of cashewnut paste.
"Indian dishes were not traditionally unhealthy. But over the years, chefs, in their eagerness to make them tastier and richer, have added the fattening elements. However, at home, when we cook with simple ingredients, we do not concentrate enough on the cooking method. So they don't taste as delicious. I am trying to revive the simplicity of home-cooked food at a restaurant," concludes Khurana.
The festival is on till: March 21
Meal for two: Rs 1,800 (plus taxes)u00a0available both for lunch and dinner
At: Aangan Hyatt Regency, Bikhaji Cama Place
Ring: 26791234
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