Top News

Many people’s mouth waters when they hear the name of street food in the evening or while passing through the market. Samosa, Kachori, Chaat and other spicy things are the first choice of people of all ages due to their unmatched taste. However, traditionally these dishes are deep fried in a pan with a lot of oil, which increases their calorie and unhealthy fat content. There is a risk of frequent consumption of such fried foods, increasing body weight, digestive problems and also having a negative impact on heart health. Therefore, in today’s times, it has become very important to pay special attention to the taste as well as the method of cooking.

If all these street foods are prepared using modern methods with less oil or without oil, then they can become a very healthy and nutritious option along with being unmatched in terms of taste. The amount of oil can be reduced by up to 90% by choosing the right ingredients and following some easy cooking tips. With this, you can enjoy your favorite snacks to the fullest without any guilt or health concerns. Let us know which tasty street foods can be easily prepared at home with less oil and what major mistakes should be avoided while preparing them.

Make these 4 amazing street foods with less oil and without deep frying

With the help of modern kitchen gadgets like air fryer, oven and non-stick utensils, you can give your favorite dishes a healthy makeover:

• Air Fryer Samosa: This is the best option for samosa lovers. To make it more healthy, use wheat flour instead of refined flour. Instead of just filling potatoes in the stuffing of samosas, add peas, beans and other chopped vegetables. After giving the shape of samosa, lightly brush cooking oil on top and cook in air fryer till it becomes golden and crispy. This makes the samosa completely crisp on the outside, the taste on the inside remains intact and you avoid consuming excessive oil.

• Baked Kachori: Now the taste of crispy Kachori can be enjoyed even without a pan. For this, knead wheat flour dough and fill it with spicy stuffing of lentils or peas. After preparing the Kachori, apply a little oil on top, put it in the oven and bake it well. Due to baking, the Kachori gets cooked very well from inside, there is no difference in its traditional taste and there is no harm to health as compared to fried Kachori.

• Vegetable Tikki (Healthy Veg Cutlet/Tikki): To enjoy Aloo Tikki Chaat with less oil, add grated carrots, boiled peas, capsicum and oats powder or semolina for binding to boiled potatoes. Prepare round tikkis from this mixture and add very little oil (just a few drops) to a non-stick pan and cook on low flame until golden and crispy from both the sides. This makes the tikkis crispy from outside and also increases fiber and nutrition due to the vegetables.

• Low-Fat Paneer Tikka: This protein-rich snack is amazing. Keep the square pieces of paneer in a mixture of thick curd, gram flour and Indian spices to marinate for some time. After this, put the cheese on skewers along with capsicum and onion pieces. You can grill it in tandoor or cook it on a non-stick pan by brushing it with very little oil or butter. This gives an excellent smoky flavor to Paneer Tikka, provides plenty of protein and does not require much fat.

Don’t make these mistakes while making street food at home

Often, while cooking at home, people unknowingly make some mistakes which spoil the nutritional value of the food. To maintain better health, take special care of these things:

1. Avoid excess oil and re-heated oil: Avoid adding more oil than necessary in the pan. Most importantly, avoid cooking by reheating used or leftover oil. Repeatedly boiled oil increases bad cholesterol and toxins in the body, which is extremely harmful for the heart.

2. Excess of sauce, butter and salt: In order to enhance the taste, avoid adding excessive salt, processed butter and ready-made sauces available in the market in tikkis or samosas. These commercial sauces are high in sodium, preservatives and hidden calories, which can increase blood pressure and weight. Always use fresh and homemade green chutney.

3. Use of stale and open material: While preparing street food, always use fresh, clean and quality ingredients. Wash vegetables brought from the market thoroughly with lukewarm water before cooking them. Use spices in a balanced manner, so that there is no acidity in the stomach and the food does not feel too heavy.

4. Get into the habit of eating fresh: Whatever be the street food, always eat it while it is hot and fresh. There is a fear of bacteria growth if there is food kept in the refrigerator or outside for a long time. By adopting these small precautions, you can always maintain the taste as well as the health of yourself and your family.