Many Type 1 and Type 2 diabetics steer clear of Indian food because it tends to be loaded with blood sugar skyrocketing refined carbs. However, Indian food is more than Mango lassis and garlic naan. There are many tasty and flavorful Indian foods that can satisfy your curry cravings without making your blood sugar fly out of control.

Tandoori Roti: Nothing beats dipping a crispy piece of Indian bread in a spicy Indian side dish like Daal or Aloo Gobi. However, most Indian breads are of the refined variety, meaning they are low in fiber but rich in high glycemic index carbs.

Tandoori roti is a whole grain Indian bread that won’t impact your blood sugar as much as highly refined breads like naan and dosa. However, roti is high in total carbs and you should limit your portions of this bread during your meal to a single piece.

Chana Masala: Indian cuisine is a vegetarians paradise because its foundation is healthy protein sources like legumes. Chana masala is a fiery Northern Indian classic that contains generous amounts of chickpeas. Chickpeas and other beans are important for diabetics because not only are they digested slowly, but the soluble fiber they contain delays the digestion of the rest of the meal.

Bhindi Masala: Okra is a common veggie in Indian that’s gaining more and more popularity stateside. With a unique flavor and texture, it’s no wonder that more and more people are seeking out this green veggie rich in dietary fiber and B vitamins.

Vegetables like okra are a must for diabetic diets because they have a low glycemic index and help you lose excess pounds. Bhindi masala ups the ante on plain-old okra, making it a spicy dish bursting with healthy flavor. Also, a Chinese study found that a compound in Okra reduced the risk of diabetic related kidney damage.

Daal: Indian daal is a lentil-based dish that’s a must at many authentic Indian dinner tables. Lentils are higher in protein and fiber than other carb sources like whole wheat bread or rice.

Tandoori Fish: Fish is bursting with omega-3 fats, which reduce inflammation and make blood sugar management easier. Replacing fatty meats in your diet, like pork, can also reduce your risk of heart disease… a condition that most Type 2 diabetics ultimately die from. Tandoori takes boring fish and turns it into a flavor-bursting grilled treat. Tandoori fish pairs perfectly with diabetic friendly Indian dishes like vegetable curry.

The taste and aroma of Indian food is something the entire world yearns for. The uniqueness of the Indian food culture is mainly due to the contribution of some incredible spices, that makes every dish out of the ordinary. Organic Indian Spices are the heart of the Indian cookery and no cook can afford to prepare any dish without these spices. Listed below are such top 4 most popular Indian spices that give every dish a spicy twist with their tantalizing aromas, tangy flavors and vibrant colors.

# 1 Cumin

It is one of the strongest spices and is the key ingredient in any kind of curry prepared in India. It is light brown in color and is slightly bitter to taste. Commonly called as "Jeera", this spice blends well with other spices to give Indian curries a smoky note. Its intense aroma and strong essence make every dish so delectable and relishing.

# 2 Coriander

Golden yellow in color, coriander is one of the oldest spices in the world and is a mandatory ingredient in every Indian kitchen rack. Cooking is near to impossible without this ground seeds. They are mainly roasted till they dry out to give a brownish tinge. It is very amusing to see how this ground seeds start popping out as soon as they are dropped into the hot pan with oil.

# 3 Mustard seeds

Mustard seeds are a common spice in almost every cuisine around the globe and they are basically of three types categorized according to their colors – Black, yellow, and white. In Indian cooking, black seeds are mostly used and they are the strongest in flavor amongst the three. They have a very peppery flavor, which gets released when they are tossed in the hot oil pan. Mustard seeds are mainly used in preparing soups and vegetable curries in North Indian meals.

# 4 Garam Masala

This spice is inseparable to Indian cooking, especially for the non-vegetarian dishes. Chicken curry, egg curry is flavorless without this spice. A small pinch of garam masala can do some wonders and turn a bland dish to a tangy and spicy one. However, you need to add this spice in the end only, when the recipe is almost cooked. This will help in retaining the fragrance and strong flavor of this staple Indian spice and give your taste bud a super-relishing experience.

No doubt, spices are the fundamental ingredients of every Indian culinary. Cultivated and harvested in favorable regions around the country, they are later dried, roasted or processed into fine spice mixes. The mixes are packed and traded in the markets and grocery stores all around the world. So, the next time you attempt to treat your family members with some refreshing and flavorful dishes, cook it up with some punch of pure Indian spices.

Rice is the staple diet of Sri Lankan people, which is accompanied by a mouth watering array of delicious and hot curries. In Sri Lanka, Rice and curry is eaten for lunch,dinner and even breakfast.

Kiri Hoid is an all purpose sauce and one of the simplest, quickest and tastiest curries in any Sri Lankn cooks repertoire. This simple sauce is served with other curries and is made of thoroughly cooked Coconut milk (Pol kiri). Coconut milk is extracted by dissolving freshly scraped coconut in lukewarm water and sqeezing the mixture to extract milk. This subtle sauce is infused with mild curry powder, chili powder, turmeric, fresh green chilies and various other spices to suit your taste buds.

To make the preparation even quicker, you can easily use canned Coconut milk for Kiri Hodi. Please make sure to mix the content in the tin thoroughly as a thicker, paste like consistency separates from water and floats to the top of the can on opening. Of course fresh coconut milk still remains the best option if you can obtain it!

Kiri Hodi is usually served with typical Sri Lankan dishes like Pittu, String Hoppers, Rice etc…Kiri Hodi can be easily converted in to a Potato curry or an egg curry by simply adding either boiled potatoes or boiled eggs. When extending the versatility of this dish, one important thing to remember is that you should keep stirring while kiri hodi is cooking. This will help the sauce infuse the extra flavors from newly added fresh ingredients.

Nasi Kandar is a famous dish of Northern Malaysia. This dish is originated from Penang. Basically this dish comprises of steamed rice that can be either served plain or has a flavored taste. This dish is itself served with variety of dishes and curries.

It was created at the time when the hawker placed the wooden container of rice and balanced them with the help of poles on their shoulders. The name survived from that era and today most of the Tamil Muslim and Malaysian Mamak restaurants and stalls have this dish in their menu.

While preparing the dish, the rice in the wooden container are placed at a height of three feet and in this way a different aroma I produced. There are several dishes that are served as side dishes with Nasi kandar and these include curried spleen, fried chicken, cubed beef, prawns and fried squid. There are vegetable dishes of brinjal, lady finger and bitter gourd are often served with this dish. When the rice is prepared, a curry of sauces is poured at the top. This process is called as 'binjir' and it gives a distinctive taste.

Nasi kandar is evolved through a long way and being one of the famous and favorite dishes of Penang, it is available anywhere in Malaysia. The curry is not of one type, there are varieties of curries that are prepared with the dish being served. The traditional curry is of the meet curry, black in color and has an intense aniseed taste. Meat used is always kept tender and sauce is made delicious in this way. Being a Muslim country, the meat used in curry is Halal.

The food heritage of Malaysia is very rich and these dishes are now a blend of their traditional as well as modern recipes. Some of the traditional dishes are so famous that people wait for hours for a vacant seat in any restaurant. The Malays are expert in their cooking and keep on experimenting with their dishes so that new and improved versions can be introduced. Desserts are an important part of the rich Malay food heritage. Other than that there are some breakfast items that are popular all over the world and is their specialty. Food of Malaysia is famous all over the world and local as well as the international tourists love to taste the traditional food served in Malaysia.

Contrary to popular perception it is not all idlis, dosas, vada and sambhar, the region provides for an amazing array of seafood, meats as well as some incredible vegetarian preparations.

Here is only a glimpse into the many-hued tastes of Southern India.

Karnataka

This is the state that brought about the Udupi revolution in the country, if not the world. But there is so much more Karnataka offers! Take the bisi bele bhath for example. This spicy delicacy full of fresh vegetables and lentils is topped off with a unique blend of masalas which is made with coriander, fenugreek urad and chana dal. These masalas, pastes and pickles are a pillar of the cuisine of this region. The state is also famed for its chutneys, the red chilli chutney being one of the most favoured. Coconut, red chillies, chana dal and garlic, tamarind, cloves, and ginger to add flavour, and voila! The delectable Kundapura Koli Saaru is something you’d not want to miss if you love your chicken hot. This curry like chicken preparation uses the Kundapura paste, a unique paste consisting of coconut, red chillies and cumin seeds and whole coriander.

Kerala

The cuisine of God’s own country is just as beautiful as the countryside itself. Seafood is huge in this part of the country and so is their love of their all-year favorite – the mighty coconut. The delicacies of this state range from the tangy shrimp coconut curry that can make any meal seem better, to the sweet slurping delight of the much-famed aviyal. Take the simple breakfast of puttu and kadala curry – steamed rice and coconut rolls with a spicy curry of black Bengal gram (black chana), filling, delicious and easy on the stomach. If you want something exotic to try the kallummakaya, a tangy mussels curry that is sure to make any sea-food lover go weak in their knees.

Andhra Pradesh

The home of the hallowed Hyderabadi biryani is one of the spiciest food destinations to visit in the country, if not the world. Their liberal use of spices, chilli and tamarind make the experience here one of a kind. The Andhra style chicken curry is something you’d want to go for if you enjoy spices and tender chicken. If you are a meat lover you would not want to miss the gongura maans, a lamb curry made with gongura leaves that are sure to leave you panting for more. While focusing on the spices, this region also serves up some brilliant desserts. The boorelu, or friend sweet dumplings are a delicacy for every occasion, made with urad dal and jaggery.

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Food is usually differentiated in the following brackets – Sweet, sour, astringent, bitter, salty and pungent. The cuisines here are both spicy and mildly flavoured depending upon the area of preparation and there is no particular trend in the use of spice here. There are some scrumptious delights that this region boasts of. The unique Chettinad cuisine, famed for its use of spices is well known around the world. Try the urlai roast, roasted baby potatoes in a glorious masala mixture if you are a strict vegetarian. Sea food lovers would want to get their bibs on and dig into a bowl of steaming meen kozhambu, a spicy fish curry that is paired with steamed rice.

Each state in this region provides a different experience, all of which bound together by a few common but delicious gastronomic threads. Truly, Southern India is a palette of a thousand flavors.

Back in the 1980’s, an Englishman by the name of Roger Curry, set out to design a knitting machine which would be simple to use and could produce machine-knitted garments that would look as if they had been hand-knitted. What he created was the Bond knitting machine which was a very basic, manually operated machine.

It was called ‘Bond’ after a famous shopping street in central London, which at the time, Roger Curry described as “the epitome of British fashion sense.” And Bond street is just as well-known now for its up-market fashion shops, as it was in the mid-1980’s.

The first Bond knitting machines to be sold in the UK were the Bond Original and later the Bond Classic. These machines could handle all the popular yarns including wool, cottons, mohair and even hand-spun wool but it didn’t handle well, yarns finer than chunky knit. These knitting machines were simple enough that hand-knitting patterns for sweaters, for example, could be adapted for use on them.

1988 saw the introduction of the Bond Elite knitting machine which in addition to the chunkier yarns could also handle 4-ply and double-knitting yarns. The Bond Elite came complete with a row counter, tools for helping create fancy stitches, a needle pusher, an illustrated instruction book, and an instructional video which demonstrated how to set up the machine and how to knit with it. One of the innovative aspects of this particular model were its four, double-sided keyplates which made possible different stitch sizes, and by turning them around, they could also be used for picture knitting (known as intarsia).

One of the drawbacks of the Bond knitting machine was that it wasn’t possible to knit ribbing. If you were knitting a sweater with a ribbed hem and cuffs, the garment had to be removed from the machine in order to knit the ribbing by hand. But by 1989 a ribber attachment had become available. Today, Bond knitting machines remain popular, being lightweight and virtually maintenance-free, and can still be bought secondhand in the UK.

Thailand has some of the best food in Asia with many signature dishes that are enjoyed all over the world. Hot and sour flavours mixed with aromatic lemongrass are classic ingredients that let your taste buds dance with excitement. Here are some of my favourite Thai dishes that I enjoyed eating whilst I travelling Thailand. Enjoy!

• Pad Thai– Thai-style Fried Noodles – A great noodle dish that everybody knows. A classic dish that you’ll find on every corner in Thailand being cooked by the experienced street venders. Best enjoyed cooked with prawns and an egg. No trip to Thailand is complete without Pad Thai.
• Gaeng Massaman Gai– Thai Massaman Curry. A mild peanut based curry usually cooked with beef or chicken. The “massaman” indicates that the recipe is of Islamic origin. One of the real highlights of travelling in Thailand.
• Penang Gai– Penang Chicken Curry. A creamy coconut curry with subtle flavours of kaffir lime leaves and Thai basil. You’ll find this on most places during your Thailand trip.
• Pad gkaprow mu – Thai Basil Pork – A spicy favourite for travellers in Thailand that mixes ground pork with hot chillies and Thai sweet basil. Always served with sticky rice and topped of perfectly with a fried egg.
• Tod Man Plaa– Spicy fried fish cakes. Delicious fish patties perfectly accompanied by hot and sour dipping sauce. Great to snack on during your Thailand trip.
• Khao Neeo– Thai Sticky Rice. A great accompaniment to any Thai dish and perfect if you start running out of money while you’re travelling in Thailand.
• Khao Soi– Chiang Mai Curry Noodles. This is a noodle dish, prepared in a rich creamy curry sauce, which is traditional to Northern Thailand. If your Thailand tour takes you up north, this dish is a must.
• Tom Yum Goong– Thai Prawn Soup With lemongrass. Tom Yum is one of the main signature dishes that characterises Thai cuisine. With both hot and sour flavours it’s the base of many Thai soups.
• Gaeng Khiao Wan Gai – Thai Green Curry with Aubergine. A great veggie option of the classic Thai curry.
• Yum Nuea – Thai Beef Salad – Yum Nuea means “tossed beef” and that is the basis of the dish. It’s a great option for a light meal on the beach while you’re travelling in Thailand. Delicious barbequed beef that’s tossed in sweet, smokey and sesame flavours.
• Pad Mee – Thai Fried Vermicelli Noodle – Spicy thin noodles with all the best bits. Simple but great and definitely part of a try Thailand trip.
• Tom Yum Soup – Hot and Sour Soup – Classic Thai dish that you’ll find whilst travelling all over Thailand. Strong hot and sour flavours with a hint of lemongrass.
• Yam Ma Maung – Green Mango Salad – A refreshing salad with green mango, garlic and Thai sweet basil. Again, perfect on the beach.
• Gai Pad Med Mamuang Himaphan – Chicken And Cashew Nut – Cashew nuts being the key ingredient in the dish combined with strong Thai red chillies, lemongrass and young kale.
• To-hu tawt – Deep fried tofu – Light and spongy tofu puffs that are deep fried to a crispy treat that mixes well in to most vegetarian dishes. Vegetarians who travel to Thailand will definitely enjoy this dish.
• Som Tum – Thai Green Papaya Salad – This dish you’ll see many of the street venders mixing up with a pestle and mortar to get all the flavours out of the ingredients. Fresh papaya, Thai string beans, palm sugar, green chillies and dried shrimp all get mixed together to create a fiery salad. A real highlight of any Thailand trip.
• Kanom Chan – Steamed layered coconut dessert – The main ingredients used to make a Kanom Cham include sugar, coconut milk and flour. One of the great features regarding the Kanom Chan is the natural colourings used to create the sweet that is also derived from herbs. Great for sweet-toothed travellers to Thailand
• Khanom Kluay – Banana Pudding – Khanom Kluay is a delicious Thai dessert that is found all over Thailand and Khanom Kluay translates as Thai steamed banana cake. You definitely have to try this during your Thailand trip.

Tempted? Why not start planning a trip to Thailand to sample all of these amazing dishes.

The Complete Asian Cookbook which has been published in the 1970s has been in use for 25 years now and has been a very valuable addition to the kitchens all over the world. Here, the best loved recipes in Asia have been published in an easy to read format, with recipes from India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, the Philippines, Pakistan, Singapore, and a lot more. This book was written by Charmaine Solomon and has sold at least a million copies internationally.

Well loved Sri Lankan recipes are found in The Complete Asian Cookbook. Some of the recipes are but not limited to: Sri Lankan Mas Paan or in layman’s terms meat buns, Chicken Mulligatawny which of course has one of the most commonly used spices in Sri Lanka: the turmeric, a special rice in Sri Lanka called the Yellow Rice (Kaha Bath) that goes extremely well with the Sri Lankan Chicken Curry that also has a recipe in the book.

The readers of The Complete Asian Cookbook will notice that most of the recipes use curry milk and even curry leaves as that is very much Sri Lankan. In the book, there are some recipes wherein the curry leaves are first ground before being sprinkled to the cooking dish. One of these recipes is the Vataka Curry or the Yellow Pumpkin Curry. In Sri Lanka, not only fish and chicken are used as the major ingredients in curried meals. Vegetables and fruits are also made as curried meals.

Recipes are written comprehensively and with such clarity, with the list of ingredients are discussed such as the quantity, substitute ingredient, storage and of course their availability. The Complete Asian Cookbook is the best kitchen resource that has captured the hearts of many and will continue to capture the hearts and the palates of the future generations.

Once a month I clean out the refrigerator, and create a soup or stew out of what I find. Usually it’s veggies that I did not get around to cooking for one reason or another. I love Indian food and cook it often. A friend of mine studied and lived in India; she brought back some great recipes and methods for cooking Indian food. This recipe is a modification of two of her recipes. One of my favorites is fish curry from the Goa region of India. Today, I came up with a tofu and vegetable curry. I used cauliflower, yellow squash, onions, garlic, sweet peppers, carrots and jalapeño peppers. This recipe calls for tamarind. You may find tamarind and garam masala spice at an Asian market. The other method is to soak the tamarind pods and strip the fiber strings off the pods. The paste in the jar is much easier to use. Trust me on this bit of advice.

1 package or extra firm Tofu diced

½ a head cauliflower chopped

½ package of tiny cut carrots

½ package of frozen peas

1 medium red onion chopped

2 cloves garlic chopped

1 green jalapeno pepper chopped

8 oz can of diced tomatoes

1 can coconut milk reduced fat

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

Large handful of fresh cilantro chopped fine for garnish

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or more to taste

1 teaspoon Garam Masala

2 tablespoons tamarind paste or ¼ cup of juice

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

2 teaspoons turmeric powder

2 inch peeled and grated fresh ginger

2 tablespoons lemon, lime juice or vinegar

12 oz. of free range chicken or veggie stock

1 tablespoon sesame or olive oil

¼ each sweet red, yellow and orange peppers diced

1 medium yellow squash peeled and diced

Or use your veggies of choice.

The key to cooking Indian food to is to know when to add the spices, including salt and black pepper. A very commonly used spice is garam masala which is a combination of Indian spices and can be found in most health food stores. As for diabetics (I am one) the only real fat it the dish is the sesame oil and coconut milk. There are carbohydrates in the veggies but I divided this dish into 8-10 portions so the carbohydrates will be lower per serving.

In a food processor (I use mini processor) put in the jalapeno pepper, onion, garlic, lemon, lime juice and grated ginger. I have a little tip about ginger; I keep it in the freezer in an airtight bag, it so much easier to peel and grate. Pulse the mixture until it forms a wet paste. Put mixture into a deep pot, add all the spices at the same time keep stirring so the mixture does not burn or stick. It may take 5 minutes or more for the mixture to dry out and become paste like. Add the tablespoon of oil, it will thin the mixture and smooth it out. At this point add tomatoes, chicken or vegetable stock, vegetables, tomato paste and cook on medium heat until bubbling. Add coconut milk, stir until smooth, turn down heat to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes or until all the vegetables are done and stew is thick. Add in the tofu, cover and simmer a few more minutes. Serve with rice, top with the chopped cilantro leaves. Enjoy.

Butternut squash is a source of vitamins A and C, and dietary fibre, and it has a sweet, nutty taste that is similar to pumpkin. When ripe, it turns increasingly deep orange – gorgeous autumn colour, and becomes sweeter and richer.

This butternut squash recipe soup is not exactly a Chinese style. It contains thai curry paste which is a moist blend of ground or pounded herbs and/or spices and other seasonings. Curry paste is primarily known an important ingredient in Thai cuisine. This soup makes a perfect starter for any dishes in a cold winter.

Nutritional value (per serving): Calories: 245; Carbohydrates: 11.69g(which Sugars: 2.20g, Dietary fiber: 2.0g); Fat: 16g(which Saturates: 10g; Protein 1.0g; Salt: 1.1g. Serves: 4

Ingredients you need are as blow:

1. 1 tablespoon olive oil(sunflower oil);

2. 500 g / 1 lb butternut squash, peeled, cubed;

3. 1 medium size carrot, cubed;

4. 1 celery stick, chopped;

5. 2 onions, chopped;

6. 2 cm / 1 inch root ginger, grated;

7. 2 garlic cloves, chopped;

8. 1 tablespoon thai red or green curry paste;

9. 750 ml / 1 1/4 pints chicken or vegetable stock;

10. 250 ml coconut milk;

11. salt and pepper;

12. fresh chopped coriander for garnish.

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a wok, add grated ginger, chopped garlic, chopped onions and chopped celery into the wok, and stir fry for about 1 minute.

2. Stir 1 tablespoon thai red or green curry paste in with the vegetable.

3. Add chopped butternut squash cubes and carrot cubes to cook for further 2 minutes.

4. Transfer the vegetables into a big sauce pan, add the stock to the vegetables and stir well.

5. Bring the soup to boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

6. Separate the vegetables and the juice, put the vege back to the pan and remove the pan from the heat.

7. Puree the vegetables with a stick blender, add the juice back with the vegetable puree and turn the heat back on.

8. Add a can of coconut milk into the soup, add more water if it is too thick. Season with some salt and pepper and bring the soup back to boil.

9. Serve immediately and garnish with chopped fresh coriander or chilli.

Cook’s Tip:

Wearing rubber or latex gloves when peeling butternut and acorn squash to avoid temporary Butternut squash (Cucurbita moschata) dermatitis.