Millions of people worldwide live with the word "diabetes" marring their daily routines – treating it with a dread undeserved for a health condition that merely requires a good understanding and relevant adjustments in lifestyle.
In general, a healthy lifestyle includes nutritious food, maintaining an ideal weight, and being physically active. Not surprisingly, healthy eating is an important part of managing diabetes too. Unfortunately, most people translate this to mean abstinence from all their favourite foods, and living on a bare diet – where sweets, traditional treats and international cuisines barely find a place. Why, it is piteous that hosts hardly bother to serve diabetic-friendly treats even at parties! While it is important for diabetics to control their diet to maintain a healthy blood glucose level, this certainly does not mean that one should feel guilty at the very thought of exotic food or delicacies from Mexican, Italian, Continental, and such cuisines.
“Exotic Diabetic Cooking” is a cookbook that shows you how to prepare diabetic-friendly versions of luscious, exotic foods such as Vegetable Tortilla Soup, Antipasto Duo, Phadthai Noodles, Momos, Dates and Apple Kheer, etc, in your own home. This cluster of 80 interesting and nutritious recipes from different cuisines viz. Indian, Chinese, Mexican, Thai, Italian and Continental, is sure to make the task of cooking as delightful as the resulting food. Not only are these recipes simple to follow, they are also made using ingredients that are readily available in a regular kitchen. The end result is healthy food that is so delicious that non-diabetic members of the family will also enjoy it, thus doing away with the need to prepare 'special' food for a diabetic person. What’s more, to help you to monitor the calorie intake, a crucial aspect of diabetic care, every recipe is supplemented with information regarding its protein, fat and carbohydrate content, the total calories per serving.
We have used certain ingredients like sugar, rice noodles etc, which are usually forbidden for diabetics, in restricted, healthy amounts in order to ensure that the dishes remain delicious and authentic, even while being healthy. That said, I would recommend that such recipes be relished only occasionally and within the suggested serving quantity. Remember that these recipes are formulated only to satisfy your craving for exotic dishes, which you would otherwise abstain from owing to their high calorie content. So, these cannot be substituted for your regular diet – they are merely occasional treats that enable you to relish all your favourites in moderate amounts without compromising on taste and health.
So, here you go – a collection of diabetic-friendly recipes befitting a feast! Enjoy yourself, but also remember that food is only a part of healthy living; fortify that with a beautiful mind and a positive mindset, and tiredness and illness can always be kept at bay! nor over-indulgence will work!
Mexican Kodri
Very similar in taste to Mexican rice but healthier, kodri can be used for an unlimited variety of recipes – Mexican, Indian and others.
Preparation time: 10 minutes. Cooking time: 10 minutes. Serves 4.
½ cup kodri
2 to 3 cloves garlic (lehsun), peeled and roughly chopped
2 tsp dry red chilli flakes
2 tsp oil
½ cup finely chopped spring onion with the greens
½ cup chopped coloured capsicum (red, yellow and green)
½ cup soaked and cooked rajma (kidney beans)
Salt to taste
2 tbsp finely chopped spring onion greens for the garnish
1.Clean, wash and soak the kodri for 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
2.Boil a vesselful of water, when the water starts boiling add the kodri and ½ tsp oil and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or till the kodri gets cooked. Drain, refresh using cold water and keep aside.
3.Mix the garlic and red chilli flakes together in a mortar-pestle and pound till smooth. Keep aside.
4.Heat the oil in a non-stick kadhai, add the garlic and chilli paste and sauté for a minute while stirring continuously.
5.Add the onions and capsicum and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
6.Add the rajma and salt, mix well and cook for a minute.
7.Add the kodri, mix well and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes while stirring continuously.
Serve hot garnished with spring onion greens.
Handy tip:
·½ cup raw kodri when cooked in enough water, yields 2½ cups of cooked kodri.
·If kodriis not easily available, use daliainstead of kodri.
Nutritive values per serving
Energy: 106 calories
Protein: 3.3 gm
Carbohydrates: 16.6 gm
Fat: 2.8 gm
Vitamin C: 24.5 mg
Calcium: 28.6 mg
Folic acid: 2.2 mcg
Grape Surprise
Fruits contain fruit sugar or ‘fructose’ which does not raise blood sugar levels unlike other form of sugar like table sugar, glucose, honey etc. Any form of added sugar in fruit juices or fruit milkshakes can increase your blood sugar levels; so it is better to always buy fully-ripe and sweet fruits to avoid adding any sugar or sugar substitute. Besides this, grapes are also rich in antioxidants, cancer-fighting flavonoids and vitamin C.
Preparation Time: A few minutes. Cooking time : Nil. Makes 4 glasses.
½ cup fresh black grapes juice
¾ cup finely chopped apples
1 cup finely chopped orange segments
4 tsp sugar substitute
2 tsp lemon juice
2 bottles soda
1.Combine the grape juice, apples, oranges, sugar substitute and lemon juice in a mixer and blend till smooth.
2.Divide the mixture equally into 4 individual glasses.
3.Pour ½ bottle of soda over it in each glass.
Serve immediately.
Nutritive values per glass
Energy: 85 calories
Protein: 0.7 gm
Carbohydrates: 19.6 gm
Fat: 0.4 gm
Vitamin C: 15.0 mg
Fibre: 2.4 gm
Lettuce Wraps
This recipe goes to prove that healthy food can also be fun and interesting! Veggies are stuffed in small lettuce squares that are rolled up to make wraps.
Preparation time: 10 minutes. Cooking time: 15 minutes. Makes 6 wraps.
For the stuffing
2 tsp oil
2 tsp finely chopped garlic
1 tsp finely chopped galangal/ ginger
¼ cup chopped spring onions with the greens
¼ cup chopped mushrooms (khumbh)
¼ cup finely chopped carrots
¼ cup finely chopped cabbage
¼ cup chopped bean sprouts
¼ cup chopped tofu (bean curd/ soya paneer)
½ tsp lemon juice
1 tsp soya sauce
Salt to taste
¼ tsp dry red chilli flakes (paprika)
Other ingredients
6 lettuce leaves
2 tbsp peanuts, roasted and coarsely ground
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil leaves for serving
For the stuffing
1.Heat the oil in a non-stick kadhai, add the garlic, ginger and onions and sauté till the onions turn translucent.
2.Add the mushrooms, carrots and cabbage, mix well and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
3.Add the bean sprouts, tofu, lemon juice, soya sauce, salt and red chilli flakes, mix gently and cook for another minute.
4.Divide the stuffing into 6 equal portions and keep aside.
How to proceed
1.Wash the lettuce leaves, dry them on a towel and keep aside.
2.Place a lettuce leaf on a clean, flat surface and place a portion of the stuffing along one side of the leaf.
3.Add ½ tsp of peanuts and ½ tsp of basil over the stuffing, roll it up gently and secure the roll by inserting a toothpick or tie using a spring onion green.
4.Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 11 more wraps.
Serve immediately.
Nutritive values per wrap
Energy: 36 calories
Protein: 1.8 gm
Carbohydrates: 2.6 gm
Fat: 2.2 gm
Calcium: 36.2 mg
Iron: 1.2 mg
Methi Dal Koshimbir
This is a special snack recommended for diabetics, as methi has soluble fibres that help in regulating blood glucose levels and also expel extra cholesterol from the body. To mellow down the taste of methi, which everybody may not relish, I have added moong dal, cucumber and sugar (just ½ tsp though!) You can also add pomegranate seeds and tomatoes to vary the taste.
Preparation time: 10 minutes. Cooking time: Nil. Serves 4.
Soaking time: 2 to 3 hours.
1 cup green moong dal (split green gram)
1 cup finely chopped tender small fenugreek (methi) leaves with the stalks
2 green chillies, slit
½ cup grated cucumber
1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt to taste
½ tsp sugar
For the garnish
1 tbsp chopped coconut
3 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)
1.Clean, wash and soak the moong dal in enough water for atleast 2 to 3 hours. Drain and discard the excess water.
2.Combine the moong dal along with 2 cups of water in a deep pan and cook over a medium flame for 10 to 12 minutes or till the dal is cooked. Drain and keep aside to cool.
3.Add the fenugreek leaves, green chillies, cucumber, lemon juice, salt and sugar and toss well.
Serve immediately garnished with coconut and coriander.
Nutritive values per serving
Energy: 156 calories
Protein: 9.9 gm
Carbohydrates: 25.2 gm
Fat: 1.8 gm
Iron: 1.8 mg
Folic acid: 56.3 mcg
Zinc: 1.1 mg
Coffee and Walnut Mousse
Desserts no longer feature in the list of forbidden treats for diabetics. Here is an innovative way to dig into a spoonful of your favourite dessert, without being ridden by guilt! Reish this mousse made with China grass and low fat milk, flavoured with cocoa, coffee and walnuts. Remember, however, ambrosia too should be limited to a small portion!
Preparation Time: 5 minutes. Cooking Time: 15 minutes. Serves 4.
4 cups low fat milk (99.7% fat-free milk readily available in the market)
10 grams (1 packet) unflavoured china grass (agar-agar), cut into small pieces
2 tbsp sugar substitute
3 tbsp cocoa powder dissolved in 2 tbsp low fat milk
2 tsp coffee powder dissolved in 2 tbsp warm water
1 tbsp low fat cream
1.Combine 1½ cups of water with agar-agar in a non-stick pan and cook over a slow flame till it dissolves completely, while stirring continuously. Keep aside.
2.Strain the mixture through a muslin cloth and keep aside.
3.In the same pan boil the milk, add the agar-agar, sugar substitute, cocoa powder, mix well and simmer over a slow flame for 5 to 7 minutes, while stirring continuously.
4.Remove from the flame, when cool, add the cream and mix well.
5.Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions and pour each into 4 long stemmed glasses.
6.Refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours or till the mousse has set.
Serve chilled.
Nutritive values per serving
Energy: 123 calories
Protein: 8.5 gm
Carbohydrates: 11.3 gm
Fat: 5.0 gm
Calcium: 318.8 mg
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