Low Fat Curry Recipe

The average Indian take-out meal can often have a high fat content but it's possible to make a low fat curry recipe at home that will not taste any different from your bought in favourite. If you are also careful about the accompanying dishes, a curry meal can be tasty and healthy at the same time. Curry need not come with of an oily, high fat sauce. Try this low fat curry recipe that I use a lot with different pulses and see for yourself.

Low Fat Curry Recipe

Small amount of olive oil for frying

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 inch cube of fresh ginger, finely chopped or grated

1-2 fresh green chillies, finely chopped – or 1-2  dried ground chillies – according to taste


2 teaspoons garam masala


1 teaspoon turmeric

4-5 medium fresh tomatoes, chopped or 1 x 400 grams (14 oz) can

1 x 400 grams (14 oz) can of any pulse - eg chick peas, lentils, black eyed beans (or you could use cooked meat, prawn or vegetables)

Tomato puree to thicken, if required

Lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste



Fry the onion until it begins to soften and take on some colour, then add the garlic, ginger and chillies. After a minute or two add your dry spices and cook for a couple of minutes before adding the tomatoes. The mixture should then gently simmer for 10-15 minutes when you can then pour in your pre-cooked can of pulses or cooked meat or vegetables. Stir well and adjust the sauce to the consistency you are looking for - adding some vegetable stock if more liquid is needed and using a smidgen of tomato puree if you need it thicker. Season with salt, black pepper and lemon juice, as necessary.



To make a full meal cook your own plain boiled rice - use basmati if you can, but do not be tempted to make fried pilau rice which will just add more unwanted oil and fat. If do you like a more colourful looking rice, simply add a smattering of freshly cooked sweetcorn and/ or peas and stir into the boiled rice. Pappadoms can be cooked in a microwave in just a few seconds without the addition of any further oil. Serve them with a simple onion salad (chopped onions and tomatoes with a dash of mint sauce stirred through the mix). A cooling cucumber raita can be prepared by simply mixing low-fat plain yoghurt with finely chopped cucumber and black pepper.

Add as many (or all) of these accompaniments to your basic low fat curry recipe to produce a healthy satisfying meal that you will want to cook again and again.