Author: Shivangi Borah

Delhi is almost home. I have been living here for long now: first as an undergrad at St. Stephen’s College between 2010 and 2013, and then as a graduate student at JNU since. I love the buzz of the capital. And I absolutely love the freedom of life in a hostel. I can stay up till 5 in the morning – reading, watching a movie, or simply trolling about on the web. And of course, I love my friends: they are like family. But every few months, there comes a time when I pack my bags, say goodbye to my friends and the unchecked (and often irresponsible) routine of hostel living, and leave the almost-home for home.

The moment the plane lands, I’m expected to switch on my phone and call mum. She gets anxious otherwise. Ever noticed how parents trust their kids (20-something year olds included, unless married – that’s a whole different story) to be responsible and keep safe when in another city, but worry themselves sick when those same kids are out with friends while in the home-city? In any case, the moment I emerge from the exit at Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi Airport, I am greeted by the much-familiar ring of Assamese words in the air. Once home with mum, it’s like I’d never left. The relaxed conversations, the very vernacular jokes, and the comfort of my bed (seriously, why are beds in hostel rooms never like the ones at home??) – all make the time away dissolve into nothingness. It’s only when mum brings in my lunch that I realise how much I had missed home!

When I’m in Delhi, lunch is a casual affair. More often than not, “lunch” is a quick samosa and a glass of nimbu paani at the canteen between classes. On days off, I have to drag myself to the hostel mess to feed on the less than palatable dal–chawal–sabzi served. The seemingly-harmless decision to take a catnap at noon and the subsequent failure to respond to the alarm may cost me a whole day of hunger-pangs. Home now, mum is religious about a good, hearty, no-nonsense lunch. The plate she brings in is laden with a generous serving with aromatic Basmati rice, dal, sabzi tailored to my taste, healthy home-made chicken stew, and papad. The first spoonful feels like a mouthful of health – the smell, the taste, the unparalleled delight of food prepared with love and care.

The one thing that never fails to make me feel blessed when home is the sheer abundance and easy availability of food. In order to truly appreciate this, you need to understand how the mess system in my hostel works. Breakfast is served between 8:00 and 9:30 in the morning, lunch between 12:30 and 2:00 in the afternoon, and dinner between 7:30 and 9:00 in the evening. Heavens forbid you feel hungry in the hours in between (and you often do between lunch and dinner), satiation would cost you some amount of money, and a walk in the sun to the dhaba or general store. One way around might be to stock up on fruits. But fruits aren’t easily available and don’t stay fresh for long in summer, the luxury of refrigeration not being available. Another option might be crackers and snack-cakes. But there’s only so much compromise your health and conscience can take. Besides, there are those days when your taste buds throw a tantrum: they need to be pampered with cooked food. How I’ve craved mum’s poha on those long, hungry evenings when I’m rushing to finish an assignment or am simply, utterly broke (yes, people in hostels go broke sometimes when they are careless in the first weeks of the month)! At home, any time that I feel hungry even in the slightest, I need look no further than the refrigerator or the kitchen shelf for some snack more wholesome than the deep fried pakoras or Masala Maggi available at the dhaba a good 10 minutes’ walk away from my hostel.

Besides, meal-time at home does not involve the stress of weighing your options. If the breakfast table has macaroni and cornflakes on it, I do not have to choose between the two – I can have a bit of both. At lunch or dinner, I do not have to decide whether foregoing my chicken curry in favour of the gulaab jamun that only comes with the paneer is a good idea. If there’s Roohafza on offer, mum does not deny me a glassful because I chose the egg curry instead of the sabzi.

I understand that every hostel mess offers choices so as to better accommodate diverse tastes and food-related beliefs of the students, and restrictions in choices of food are exercised so as to make the system economically viable. No complaints about that. But it’s an absolute pleasure to be liberated from these rules every once in a while – and by providing that opportunity, home just feels that much homelier. Every single time I come home for the holidays, I realise how real the connection between “home” and “food” is in my mind. Home is where the food feels right. You have to give it to George Bernard Shaw: there really is no love sincerer than the love for food.

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of Indian cooking? Hot, spicy, rich? Yet your taste buds respond to Indian food like nothing else. An Indian who can pass on a stack of ridiculously good Aloo Paranthas in favour of a Caesar salad would be difficult to come by. So what do you do? Shrug and accept the compromise on health as an inevitability of Indian living? Or coerce yourself to develop a liking for healthier, relatively bland continental food made with ingredients that are not only difficult to source but also burn a hole in your pocket? We have good news for you: you need do either.

Today, Indian chefs and food enthusiasts the world over are endeavouring to break the one myth that has always been associated with Indian cuisine: Indian food is unhealthy. True, we like our Butter Chicken, ghee laden Naans, and spicy curries, but to dismiss Indian food as inherently unhealthy is not really justified. Indian cuisine has evolved in response to the diverse climatic conditions of our subcontinent, ranging from tropical to alpine, which has resulted in the availability of a broad spectrum of ingredients that are potentially packed with vitamins and fibre, while the array of vegetarian choices available provides low saturated fat options, as long as they are cooked without the lashings of clarified butter and cream so favoured in the restaurant versions of Indian dishes. To help you discover the sheer delight that is wholesome Indian cooking, we have here a few basic tips and tricks:

Swap your staples:

Simple changes like opting for wholemeal flour instead of plain flour when making chapatis or paranthas and swapping white rice for brown Basmati rice can go a long way towards balancing your daily carbohydrate intake.

Watch the oil:

Avoid cooking in ghee or butter as far as possible. Try using sunflower, rapeseed, and olive oils instead. You will be surprised at how well they work with spices. However, bear in mind that olive oil has great health benefits but should only be used for stir-frying or pan-frying, when just a small splash is needed. It is not recommended for deep-frying when a large quantity of oil is required. Using non-stick cookware can help you limit the use of oil.

Free yourself from frying:

Avoid frying wherever possible. Grill, boil, steam, roast, and bake instead. Tandoori grilling is a great way to cook. It requires minimal or no oil and the intense heat cooks the food quickly, sealing in all the nutrients.

Cut down on the cream:

While coconut milk and cream are not without their health benefits, the fat content is usually above levels recommended for daily consumption. For adding richness to a dish, try using skimmed milk, cashew nut paste, or poppy seed paste instead of the regular coconut milk or cream. For bases, opt for low-fat yogurt or tomato sauces rather than cheese-based ones. Use margarine instead of butter.

Be Ingredient-Wise:

Indian cooking offers a wide choice of ingredients. Go for lots of greens and healthy legumes such as sprouted beans and lentils. Privilege chicken or seafood over red meats.

Know your spices:

Whether it is the instant heat of chilli or the slow mellow burn of ginger, spices feature prominently in almost all kinds of Indian cooking. As such it is a good idea to know about the properties of the spices you use every day. We have here a list of spices that pack health benefits for you when used in moderation:

• Garlic has been shown to lower cholesterol, have antibiotic properties, assist in the removal of excess mucus, and stop platelets in blood from sticking together and creating blockages. It is also effective against fungal, yeast, bacterial, and viral infections.
• Turmeric is a digestive aid, an analgesic, an antiseptic, and an anti-inflammatory agent. It also a potential cancer deterrent.
• Cumin seeds, which are often ground for cooking, aid digestion and also relieve flatulence, stomach cramps, and diarrhoea.
• Coriander has been tested to have aphrodisiac properties. It helps ease migraines and intestinal complaints.
• Ginger has been proven through clinical trials to be effective against nausea. It can potentially treat indigestion and flatulence.
• Chilli is known to relieve pain and aid blood circulation. It is also suggested that the heat stimulates the body to produce endorphins which not only speed up metabolism but could be a contributory factor to our enjoyment of a good curry: the ‘high’ produced is addictive!

Above all, know that healthy eating is a matter of choice. Like all other cuisines, Indian cuisine too comes with its healthy and unhealthy options. It is important to choose right. Opt for Papad instead of Samosa, Chicken Tikka instead of Korma, curries with a vegetable or dal base instead of curries made with coconut milk cream, cauliflower lightly fried with peas and tomatoes instead of Pakora, Matar Pulao instead of Palak Paneer, steamed rice instead of sauced rice, chapati or plain Naan instead fried or stuffed breads, and so on. Be smart, be resourceful, be informed. Enjoy your adventure in the kitchen. Go, taste India!

Remember that day back in school when, while walking down the street with your mum, you had suggested that you be allowed to snack on a McChicken burger and skip the daal-chawal waiting at home? Mum had probably responded with a firm “NO”. Yes, fast food is unhealthy. That’s possibly one of the most repeated of the lessons we learn as kids. Yet, it comes with its own attractions: prompt dine-in service, speedy home deliveries, affordable and great-tasting options on the menu, etc. Given the sheer convenience, it is often only too easy to compromise with your conscience (and maybe, an expanding waistline) and find yourself at your nearest McDonald’s or Domino’s outlet. So what do you do then? The solution is simple: pick your fast food smartly.

Thankfully, smart fast food eating is not the myth you may think it is. With growing global concern over obesity and heart diseases ensuing from unhealthy eating, fast food chains the world over are making an effort to include healthier options in their menus. Besides, there are ways to make sure that that occasional treat at a fast food restaurant does not turn into the unhealthy grease fest that it has every potential to be. Here are a few simple tips:

Downsize your portion:

Super-sized portions of fast food usually cost you only a little extra: they are marketed as “value for money meals”. But while they may gratify your economic mind, they can pack a whopping nutritional blow to your body. Research shows that larger the serving in front of us, the more food we tend to eat even beyond satiation. Bear in mind: double the portion equals double the calories. If you’re almost principally opposed to passing on a meal deal, you could try splitting the large portion with a friend.

Design your own meal:

Choosing your own meal constituents gives you the opportunity of keeping the calories, sodium, and fat content in check, while boosting the fibre content. Opt for made-to-order fast food options, wherever possible. Ask for whole grain breads, buns, wraps, and pizza crusts. When choosing your fillings or toppings, try to include plenty of fresh vegetables, fruit, and legumes (dried beans, lentils, and peas). Privilege leaner fresh cooked meats such as roast beef, chicken, or turkey breast. Avoid processed deli meats such as salami and bologna. Choose low-fat milk products: steer clear of the extra cheese option.

Watch the “extras”:

Those little “extras” like salad dressings, sandwich sauces, mayo, spreads, and gravies that you add to your meal to indulge your taste buds can infuse your meal with more fat, calories, and salt than you had bargained for. Opt for lower-fat condiments such as ketchup, salsa, mustard, and relish. However, use them sparingly, since even these condiments have higher sodium content than recommended levels. Make it a point to ask for the “extras” on the side rather than a huge dollop on top, so that you can use small amounts as and when required.

Be salad savvy:

Salads are popularly hailed as healthy meal options. But beware: not all salads are equally, or even necessarily, healthy. For instance, a chicken Caesar salad laden with mayo can have about as many calories and as much fat as a deep fried chicken sandwich. When ordering your salad, go for leafy green ones. Religiously skip the croutons, bacon bits and fried noodles or tortillas; they are heavy on fat, calories, and sodium, while offering few good-for-you nutrients.

Drink Smart:

If you’re thirsty after a meal, there is nothing like water. If you want a filling beverage, skimmed milk is a great choice. Virgin fruit juices are a healthy beverage option, though not readily available. Try to avoid aerated drinks as far as possible. If you are craving a sugary drink, order the smallest size; a large glass can contain as many calories as a whole meal. In fact, milkshakes often contain more calories than most other items on the menu. Adding flavoured syrups or whipped cream to your beverage may increase its calorie content by 200-300. Adding milk instead of cream to your tea or coffee is a healthier choice.

Be Dessert-Wise:

When it comes to desserts think fresh and light. Fresh fruit, plain frozen yogurts, and sorbet are healthier options than ice cream and cakes. When in the mood to indulge your sweet tooth, watch your portions. Some large cookies may contain as many as 400 or more calories. An acceptable compromise might be to order one dessert and ask for many spoons to share with friends or family.

Don’t compromise on your breakfast basics:

We know how tempting it might be to quickly grab a McEgg burger during those rushed mornings, but it is important to remember that breakfast is your most important meal. You depend on your breakfast choices to give you the energy and nutrients you need through the day. Opt for oatmeal, fruit, yogurt, or whole grain bagels with peanut butter. Limit high fat options like doughnuts, pastries, muffins, croissants, bacon, sausages, and fried hash browns.

Fetch your Facts:

Make an informed choice. Before placing your order at a restaurant, ask for the nutrition profile of the meal ordered. Compare the percentages of calories, fat, sodium, sugar, fibre, and key nutrients – you may be surprised.

These quick tips should help make your occasional fast food experience healthier. Above all, remember that healthy eating is a matter of balancing your food choices over time. So if you overindulge at one meal, remember to compensate by eating wholesome, healthy food at your next meal.