1. Baingan Ka Bharta- Punjabi Style
Bharta which is commonly pronounced as Bhurtaah is a dish of North Indian origin. In this, the eggplant is roasted and then cooked with onions, tomatoes, and other ingredients and spices.
Recipe features
This is an easy-to-make vegetable plus it is very healthy too. This dish is served with emmer/khapli wheat makes a great combination.
Ingredients
- 2 Large Eggplant/Aubergine
- 1 Cup finely chopped onions
- 2 Cups finely chopped Tomatoes
- 1 Cup pureed tomato
- 6 Cloves of Garlic
- 3 Tsp Coriander Powder
- ½ Tsp Red chili Powder
- Coriander Leaves
- Rock Salt
- 1 Tsp Cold Pressed Mustard or Sesame Oil (Optional)
- 100 gm Peas (Optional)
Method
- Chop onions and tomatoes finely and keep aside.
- Wash the eggplant and wipe it clean with a kitchen towel.
- Make deep cuts all around the eggplant using a sharp knife.
- Smear a few drops of oil all around the eggplant.
- Hold the brinjal by the stem or poke a skewer or a sharp knife into the eggplant to hold and roast it directly over direct flame turning it around so that the skin gets charred and the insides of the eggplant get cooked well.
- You can also roast it in an oven.
- Remove the skewer and let the eggplant cool down completely.
- You can also immerse it in water.
- Peel off the charred outer skin and mash the eggplant along with the garlic using a fork or a potato masher.
- Keep aside.
- Heat the wok with or without the oil.
- Put a green chili for flavor into the wok and let it lend its taste to the oil.
- Add onions and cook over medium flame till they become translucent.
- Add the tomatoes, red chili powder, and mix well and cook for 1 min.
- Sprinkle a handful of water, mix, close with a lid, and cook for 2-3 mins over low flame for the raw smell of the powders to go away.
- Add mashed eggplant and salt, mix well and cook over low flame for 10 mins allowing it to simmer.
- Cook over low flame till the veggies are done and exude a red color.
- Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and take off the stove.
2. Amritsari Chole
Amritsari Chole is a very famous North Indian recipe that is mostly had with naan or baked samosas. It is prepared with chickpeas, onions, and tomatoes. It can also be enjoyed as a main course with brown rice and dal tikkis.
Recipe features
Chickpeas are good for diabetics as they are high in dietary fiber. It is a spicy, tangy, aromatic, and flavorful dish that is healthy too.
Ingredients
- 4 Cups Chickpeas
- 1/3 Cups onion (Finely chopped)
- ¼ Cup onion paste
- 1 Black Cardamom
- 1/2 Tsp Dry Mango Powder
- 1/4 Tsp Dry Amla/ gooseberry Powder (For color and tangy taste)
- 2 Tsp Garlic Paste
- 1 Tsp Rock salt to taste
- 2 Tbsp coriander leaves (Chopped)
- 1/2 Tsp Cumin (Freshly ground)
- 1-2 Tsp Garam Masala Powder
- 2 Tsp Coriander Powder (Freshly ground, slightly coarse)
- 1 Tomato (Finely chopped)
- 1 Tomato (Pureed)
- 1 Tsp Pomegranate Seeds (Ground finely)
- 2 Tsp Ginger Paste
- 1 Green Chili (To taste)
- 1 ½ Tsp Red Chilies Powder
- 1 Bay leaves
- 2 Cups Water
Method
- Soak the chickpeas overnight.
- Drain and rinse well.
- Drain again and transfer to a deep pan. Add some water, black tea bags, cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf, and salt.
- Place over medium flame and simmer for 30 to 40 mins until the chickpeas are soft.
- Drain the chickpeas again, reserving about 2 to 3 cups of water.
- Discard the tea bags.
- Combine the pomegranate seeds, mango powder, ginger garlic paste, green chilies, coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, and garam masala powder in a blender.
- Blend all the ingredients nicely.
- Add about 1 cup of chickpea reserve water and blend to a smooth paste.
- Then heat a pan over medium flame.
- Add the chickpeas, ground chickpea paste, and ground paste.
- Mix well and keep aside. Sauté the ground onions with or without oil and bay leaves until the onion paste turns golden brown.
- Add tomatoes and tomato puree and sauté well.
- Add this to the chickpeas along with the remaining reserved water.
- Bring to a boil and cook till the gravy has very little water.
- Garnish with some chopped onions and coriander leaves and julienne ginger.
- Remove and serve hot with rice, any grain roti, or barley naan.
- They taste yummy even with jowar/wheat bread!
3. Veg Rogan Josh
Rogan Josh is a Persian dish where Rogan means clarified butter or oil and josh means to heat or hot. Vegan Rogan Josh is a Kashmiri dish made from veggies.
Recipe features
FFD style Rogan Josh uses Yam (Suran) as the basic ingredient. Yam is packed with nutrients, has anti-inflammatory properties, and may help improve blood sugar control. This is one of the best North Indian Dinner recipes that are diabetes-friendly.
Ingredients
- 4 Cups Yam (Suran)
- 3-4 Tomatoes
- 1 Tsp Coriander Seeds (Dhania)
- 5-6 Whole Dry Kashmiri Red Chillies
- 1 Inch Ginger (Adrak)
- ½ Tsp Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
- 5-6 Cloves Garlic (Lehsun)
- 2 Onions
- 2 Tbsp Oil
- ¼ Tsp Nutmeg Powder (Jaiphal)
- ¼ Tsp Mace Powder (Javantri)
- Salt to taste
- Coriander (Dhania) for garnishing
Method
- Cut suran into square shape 1” pieces.
- Boil it in salt water.
- Chop onion finely.
- Deseed the chilies.
- Make a paste of chilies, ginger, garlic, coriander, jeera & little onion.
- Blanch the tomatoes.
- De-skin it & chop.
- Sauté onion in the oil till brown.
- Put the ground paste & stir.
- When done put the tomatoes & again stir.
- Add salt, suran, nutmeg, javitri with little water.
- Switch off the flame after a boil.
- Garnish with coriander leaves.
4. Dal Makhani
This is a popular recipe from Punjab, North India. Its main ingredients are black gram and kidney beans both beneficial for diabetics.
Recipe features
The original recipe uses cream and butter to make it richer and tastier. This FFD-style dal makhani recommends the use of cashew cream instead of butter or cream which makes it more healthy.
Ingredients
- 1½ Cups Black Grams (Whole udad)
- ½ Cup Kidney Beans (Rajma)
- 2 Tsp Ginger Paste
- 2 Tsp Green Chilli Paste
- 3-4 Tbsp Cashew Cream
- 1 Cup Tomatoes (Finely chopped)
- ½ Onions (Finely chopped)
- 7-8 Cloves of Garlic (Crushed)
- 1 Tsp Cumin Seeds (Jeera)
- ¼-½ Tsp Garam Masala
- ½ Tsp Red Chilli Powder
- Salt to taste
Method
- Thoroughly wash black grams and kidney beans.
- Then soak it in water (2 glasses) for about 7-8 hours.
- Pressure cook the dals till very soft (4-5 whistles).
- Heat a pan and dry temper cumin seeds.
- Add ginger, garlic and chili paste, and finely chopped onions.
- Fry until golden brown adding water if the mixture dries.
- Add finely chopped tomatoes and salt.
- Cook until the mixture thickens into a pulpy sauce (about 3 min).
- Then add cooked grams and kidney beans to the mixture and heat for 4-5 minutes.
- You can add a little water if you find it too thick.
- Mix in well the cashew cream and leave a spoonful for garnishing.
- Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Dal Makhani is ready to serve.
- Decorate with a swirl of cashew cream and chopped fresh coriander.
5. Missi Roti
This is a spiced variety of flatbread much popular in Punjab and Rajasthan. Its main ingredients are whole wheat and Bengal gram.
Recipe features
FFD style Missi roti is prepared with khapli wheat that is diabetes-friendly. A recipe like this which contains dal plus grain puts it in a healthy food category.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Khapli/ Emmer Wheat flour
- 3 Tbsp Besan/Gram flour
- 1 Green Chilli (Chopped)
- Pinch of Rock Salt
- ½ Onion (Optional)
- Few Green Coriander Leaves (Finely Chopped)
- 1 Tsp Flax Seed Oil (Optional)
Method
- Knead the dough well.
- Heat the tandoor/griddle.
- Make 2 balls with the dough.
- Use palms to press the balls into rotis or roll them out.
- Allow them to be cooked on both sides by turning them over when they turn brown on one side.
- Apply flax seed oil once removed from the tawa/tandoor.
- Diet plays a very important part in good health.
- Hence we need to eat the right food in the right proportion.
- Also, we should learn to look at the food correctly and also be able to think about how it can be made more health friendly.
The above 5 recipes are just a few examples of North Indian Dinner Recipes. FFD has several recipes in its recipe section that are not only tasty but healthy and good for diabetics. Do try out our recipes and let us know your feedback.
North Indian Dinner recipes for Sugar Patient
4
servings30
minutes40
minutes300
kcalIngredients
1. Punjabi-Style Baingan Ka Bharta
2 Large Eggplant/Aubergine
1 Cup finely chopped onions
2 Cups finely chopped tomatoes
1 Cup pureed tomato
6 Cloves of Garlic
3 Tsp Coriander Powder
½ Tsp Red chili Powder
Coriander Leaves
Rock Salt
1 Tsp Cold Pressed Mustard or Sesame Oil (Optional)
100 gm Peas (Optional)
2. Amritsari Chole
4 Cups Chickpeas (soaked overnight)
1/3 Cup onion (finely chopped)
¼ Cup onion paste
1 Black Cardamom
1/2 Tsp Dry Mango Powder (Amchur)
1/4 Tsp Dry Amla/Gooseberry Powder
2 Tsp Garlic Paste
1 Tsp Rock salt
2 Tbsp Coriander leaves (chopped)
1/2 Tsp Cumin (freshly ground)
1-2 Tsp Garam Masala Powder
2 Tsp Coriander Powder
1 Tomato (finely chopped)
1 Tomato (pureed)
1 Tsp Pomegranate Seeds (ground finely)
2 Tsp Ginger Paste
1 Green Chili
1 ½ Tsp Red Chilies Powder
1 Bay leaf
2 Cups Water
3. Veg Rogan Josh (Suran)
4 Cups Yam (Suran), cut into 1” squares
3-4 Tomatoes
1 Tsp Coriander Seeds
5-6 Whole Dry Kashmiri Red Chillies
1 Inch Ginger
½ Tsp Cumin Seeds
5-6 Cloves Garlic
2 Onions
2 Tbsp Oil
¼ Tsp Nutmeg Powder
¼ Tsp Mace Powder
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves for garnishing
4. Dal Makhani (FFD-Style)
1½ Cups Black Grams (Whole Udad)
½ Cup Kidney Beans (Rajma)
2 Tsp Ginger Paste
2 Tsp Green Chilli Paste
3-4 Tbsp Cashew Cream
1 Cup Tomatoes (finely chopped)
½ Onion (finely chopped)
7-8 Cloves of Garlic (crushed)
1 Tsp Cumin Seeds
¼-½ Tsp Garam Masala
½ Tsp Red Chilli Powder
Salt to taste
5. Missi Roti
2 Tbsp Khapli/Emmer Wheat flour
3 Tbsp Besan/Gram flour
1 Green Chilli (chopped)
Pinch of Rock Salt
½ Onion (optional)
Few Green Coriander Leaves (finely chopped)
1 Tsp Flax Seed Oil (optional)
Directions
- Punjabi-Style Baingan Ka Bharta
- Chop onions and tomatoes; set aside.
- Wash eggplant, make deep cuts, smear with oil, and roast over direct flame (or in an oven) until skin is charred and insides are soft.
- Peel charred skin and mash the eggplant flesh with garlic using a fork or masher.
- Heat wok (with oil if desired); add green chili, then onions and sauté until translucent.
- Add tomatoes, red chili powder, and cook for 1 minute.
- Sprinkle a handful of water, cover, and cook for 2–3 minutes on low flame.
- Add mashed eggplant and salt; simmer on low heat for 10 minutes until done. Garnish with coriander.
- Amritsari Chole
- Soak chickpeas overnight; rinse and drain.
- Boil chickpeas with water, black tea bags, whole spices (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf), and salt for 30–40 minutes until soft. Drain, reserving 2–3 cups of liquid; discard tea bags.
- Blend pomegranate seeds, mango powder, ginger-garlic paste, green chilies, and all dry spices with 1 cup of reserved water into a smooth paste.
- Sauté onion paste and bay leaf in a pan until golden brown. Add chopped and pureed tomatoes; sauté well.
- Add chickpeas, the blended spice paste, and the remaining reserved water.
- Bring to a boil and cook until gravy is thick. Garnish with raw onions, coriander, and julienned ginger.
- Veg Rogan Josh (Suran)
- Cut yam into 1-inch squares and boil in salted water; set aside.
- Blend dry chilies (deseeded), ginger, garlic, coriander seeds, cumin, and a little onion into a paste.
- Blanch tomatoes, de-skin, and chop finely.
- Sauté finely chopped onions in oil until brown.
- Add the ground spice paste and stir. Once done, add tomatoes and stir again.
- Add salt, boiled yam, nutmeg, mace, and a little water. Boil once, then switch off the flame. Garnish with coriander.
- Dal Makhani (FFD-Style)
- Soak black grams and kidney beans for 7–8 hours; pressure cook until very soft (4–5 whistles).
- Heat a pan and dry-temper cumin seeds.
- Add ginger, garlic, chili paste, and finely chopped onions; fry until golden brown (add water if needed).
- Add chopped tomatoes and salt; cook until it forms a thick, pulpy sauce (approx. 3 mins).
- Add cooked dals to the mixture; heat for 4–5 minutes, adding water if too thick.
- Stir in cashew cream (reserve a spoonful) and cook for another 3–4 minutes. Garnish with remaining cream and fresh coriander.
- Missi Roti
- Combine all ingredients and knead into a firm dough with water.
- Heat a tandoor or griddle (tawa).
- Form dough into 2 balls and press with palms or roll into rotis.
- Cook on the griddle, turning once it browns on one side, until cooked through.
- Brush with flax seed oil once removed from the heat.
Notes
- Grain Choice: Whenever possible, use Khapli (Emmer) wheat, Jowar (sorghum), or Bajra (pearl millet) instead of refined white flour. These ancient grains have a lower glycemic index and provide more sustained energy.
- Oil Usage: The recipes suggest using cold-pressed oils like mustard, sesame, or flaxseed in very small amounts. If you are following a strict low-fat or “oil-free” protocol, you can sauté aromatics using a splash of water or vegetable broth instead of oil.
- Cashew Cream: In recipes like Dal Makhani, cashew cream is a heart-healthy replacement for dairy cream or butter. To make it, soak raw cashews in water for 2 hours and blend them into a smooth, thick paste.
- The “Tea Bag” Trick: Using black tea bags when boiling chickpeas for Amritsari Chole provides a dark, rich color naturally without requiring chemical additives or excess sugar.
- Consistency: If your stews or curries become too thick, always use warm water to thin them out. Avoid adding extra salt if you thin the gravy; instead, rely on the aromatics (ginger, garlic, chilies) for flavor.
