Weight loss is a wild journey, with many avenues you can take to achieve the desired result. One thing that is most often highlighted in diet and weight loss plans is that you need to abandon your much-loved carbs. HOWEVER, foreign-publication-that-also-tells-me-to-eat-300-rupee-avocados, you do not understand that us desis do not have steak and grilled chicken on a regular basis? Our staples are daal and gravy based foods- so how do we eat them without carbs?
Everything You Need To Know About Carbohydrates
Unfortunately for those of us who have used that excuse more often than we care to admit, we’re putting together a guide for how you can continue to eat your home-cooked Pakistani meals without relying on carbs (aka rice or roti).
Entrée |
Low Carb Option |
Daal(usually eaten with boiled rice) |
If we were a little more angrez, we’d call it lentil soup and tell you to grab a spoon and stop whining about the lack of rice. But we understand, so we’re giving you a few options to use as a base:
*Spinach (wilted in some olive oil and garlic) *Eggplant (cut it lengthwise and bake until cooked through- also an excellent option for red sauce pasta) *cauliflower (chop, grind, drain water and stir fry) |
Karhai/Qorma(commonly had with roti) |
Instead of going for a full-fledged roti made with aata, here’s what we’re going to do instead:
*Grind some flax seeds, chia seeds, almond and add them to a little whole-wheat flour. Cook on tawa as you would a normal roti. It’s quite delicate so begentle when flipping. This is filling, and very healthy. |
Nihari/Paye(naan and sheermal are usually the carbs of choice here) |
A finely chopped salad is the only way to go when it comes to these almost soupy dishes. Cucumber, carrots, tomatoes, and hey, throw in the occasional olive.
Either that, or just skip these (very oily) dishes. |
Biryani/Pulao(rice, rice baby) |
Ah, the weakness of many- the grandiose biryani.
However, there’s a trick: Lots of raita (lauki ka raita is an excellent and filling option), plenty of kachumbar, boti chunks, and the smallest possible portion rice (it’s almost unholy to sub the rice for something else here) |
Sabzi(an everyday staple with everyday roti) |
Ok let’s not get too crazy here. I’m not going to tell you to eat your lauki with more sabzi (cucumbers, etc) Sabzi is perhaps the easiest thing to eat without carbs. Grab a fork and dig in. |
Related: The Best Bhindi You’ll Ever Make
Let us not forget that not all carbs are bad carbs. In fact, vegetables are also carbs- but the kind that are fiber-filled and nutritious.
Read: Fiber Does Amazing Things To Your Body
Also remember, when the carbohydrate cravings kick in, you can turn to better options, instead of white rice and roti (e,g. oats).
Let the weight loss journey commence.
