Indian dishes that are good for you

CHETNA Makan gets to the point. And that goes for her recipes, which are brilliantly brief and require very few ingredients, as well as her conversation.

So with her new cookbook, Chetna’s Healthy Indian, the former Great British Bake Off contestant insists it is not a health book or a diet book.

“I am no expert,” says Makan, 40, over glasses of chai and bowls of crackly, spiced okra fries. “I don’t have the right knowledge for a health book.”

Rather, this recipe collection is a considered, flavour-fuelled response to a question she finds herself asked repeatedly: “If you bake so much, why are you not the size of a house?”

Makan’s frank about having never dieted (“I just can’t deal with it”) and while she really does “love cake”, the India-born cook laughs: “My everyday food is really, really good for me, and that kind of balances it out – otherwise it would be disastrous.”

Dinner at Makan’s house features the likes of chana dal with roasted aubergine, black eyed beans with cavolo nero, tamarind fish curries, spicy chicken and chickpea curry bakes, fried rice loaded with green veggies, and zingy chutneys and pickles. They’re dishes that also debunk the idea that the word “curry” only accounts for what you order in at the weekend.

“That is a big problem,” says Makan of the perception held by some, that Indian is purely a result, takeout is delicious food – but and, as probably bad for you.

“That’s not how it should be,” she adds, noting that when you’re making one from scratch, curry can work any night of the week.

Chetna’s Healthy Indian offers short, snappy meal ideas that rely on fresh produce (“You can find okra anywhere now”) and easy-to-procure spices.

Pats of butter, puddles of cream, slicks of oil and long ingredient lists just aren’t her style – “I try and keep it to the minimum and don’t over-complicate.”

And there’s no need to huff at the idea of stocking up on brand new, obscure spices - you’re likely to have Makan’s staples tucked away in the cupboard, no matter their age.

“I’ve got spices that are really old,” she admits. “I bought a massive, massive bag of really good cinnamon and cardamom from a Delhi spice market three or four years ago, and they’re half gone, but they’re all right. Still strong and powerful.”

Not only is Makan’s food light on faff and effort, her recipes are largely accessible for the whole family. And while it isn’t a cookbook aimed directly at vegans and vegetarians, by dint of it exploring Indian cuisine (and putting a twist on traditional dishes), many of the recipes are entirely plant-based.

Chetna’s Healthy Indian, Mitchell Beazley, £20