Which is the Lowest-Calorie Curry? Best Indian Options

Indian cuisine is enjoyed around the world for its vibrant spices, rich aromas, and wide variety of dishes. However, people often wonder whether Indian food is healthy or what the lowest-calorie Indian curry options are.

The good news is that you can still enjoy the full flavour and variety of Indian cuisine while choosing lighter meals. With smart choices, traditional ingredients, and healthier cooking methods, low-calorie curry can offer a satisfying balance of flavour and nutrition.

How Indian Cuisine Offers Lighter Choices

Indian cuisine includes a wide variety of curries, dals, vegetable dishes, and sauces, so calorie content can differ considerably from one recipe to another. Ingredients, cooking fats, and portion sizes all affect how many calories a dish contains.

Chef Akila offers a selection of curries, dals, sides, and sauces with fewer than 90 calories per 100g. The recipes are prepared with organic cold-pressed oils, freshly ground masalas, and natural ingredients. Checking the nutritional information for each dish can help you compare the available options and choose one that suits your meal.

12 Lower-Calorie Chef Akila Dishes To Consider

Delhi Butter Chicken

A chicken curry slow-cooked in a creamy sauce with tomatoes, butter, cashews, and aromatic spices.

Calories (per 100g): 85 kcal
Why it's a lighter option: The recipe contains a measured amount of cream and keeps the finished dish at 85 kcal per 100g while retaining its familiar creamy character.
Nutritional value: 9.2g protein and 4.7g fat per 100g, alongside tomatoes, cashews, and spices.
Perfect for: Those who enjoy a rich, creamy curry but still want to keep a closer eye on calories.

Five Lentil Dal

A comforting dal made with five varieties of lentils, tomatoes, and traditional spices.

Calories (per 100g): 77 kcal
Why it's a lighter option: The lentils create a satisfying base, so the dish does not need a rich, creamy sauce to feel substantial.
Nutritional value: 5.0g protein per 100g, with plant-based ingredients including lentils and chickpeas.
Perfect for: Vegetarians who want a filling lentil-based dish that works as a main or a side.

Village Chicken Curry

A homestyle chicken curry cooked in a rustic onion and tomato gravy.

Calories (per 100g): 62 kcal
Why it's a lighter option: The onion and tomato base carries much of the flavour, helping the dish stay lighter than many cream-based chicken curries.
Nutritional value: 10.9g protein and 1.8g fat per 100g.
Perfect for: Anyone who prefers a traditional chicken curry without a heavy sauce.

Kannur Prawn Curry

A coastal-style curry made with king prawns, coconut, tomatoes, tamarind, and aromatic spices.

Calories (per 100g): 67 kcal
Why it's a lighter option: The curry combines prawns with a flavourful sauce while keeping the overall calorie content moderate.
Nutritional value: 4.7g protein and 4.5g fat per 100g, made with king prawns alongside coconut, tomatoes, and tamarind.
Perfect for: Seafood lovers looking for a flavourful alternative to meat-based curries.

Chettinad Chicken Curry

A South Indian chicken curry made with tomatoes, coconut, and a freshly prepared Chettinad masala.

Calories (per 100g): 61 kcal
Why it's a lighter option: It has one of the lowest calorie counts among the chicken curries in this selection, with 3.2g fat per 100g.
Nutritional value: 8.0g protein per 100g, with tomatoes, coconut, and traditional spices forming the base of the curry.
Perfect for: Those who want bold South Indian flavour while keeping the dish relatively light.

Spinach Dal Kootu

A Kerala-style dish made with spinach, coconut, and mung dal.

Calories (per 100g): 74 kcal
Why it's a lighter option: It relies on lentils and greens rather than a cream-based sauce, helping it stay relatively light while still feeling satisfying.
Nutritional value: 2.5g protein per 100g, with mung beans and spinach forming the heart of the dish.
Perfect for: Anyone looking for a plant-based side dish or lighter main.

Kashmiri Chicken Korma (Mild)

An aromatic, mildly spiced chicken curry inspired by Kashmiri flavours.

Calories (per 100g): 82 kcal
Why it's a lighter option: Despite containing cream, butter, cashews, and almonds, the finished curry contains 82 kcal per 100g.
Nutritional value: 11.2g protein and 3.6g fat per 100g.
Perfect for: Anyone who enjoys mild, creamy curries but still wants to keep track of calorie intake.

Akila's Black Dal (Mild)

Black lentils slow cooked with tomatoes, butter, cream, and spices, then gently smoked.

Calories (per 100g): 81 kcal
Why it's a lighter option: Slow cooking helps develop its rich flavour while the finished dish remains at 81 kcal per 100g.
Nutritional value: 4.0g protein and 7.1g carbohydrate per 100g.
Perfect for: Anyone who wants a rich-tasting dal with a deep, smoky flavour.

Fried Aubergine Curry (Hot)

A Chettinad-style curry with fried aubergine, tamarind, peanuts, coconut, and a family masala blend.

Calories (per 100g): 88 kcal
Why it's a lighter option: Despite using fried aubergine, coconut, peanuts, and cooking oils, the finished curry remains below 90 kcal per 100g.
Nutritional value: 2.8g protein and 5.8g carbohydrate per 100g.
Perfect for: Those who enjoy hot, tangy vegetable curries with a nutty flavour.

Carrot & Beans Poriyal (Mild)

Carrots and green beans cooked with coconut, mung beans, and traditional South Indian spices.

Calories (per 100g): 44 kcal
Why it's a lighter option: At 44 kcal per 100g, it is the lightest option among these 12, with vegetables making up much of the dish.
Nutritional value: 1.6g protein per 100g, alongside carrots, green beans, coconut, and mung beans.
Perfect for: Adding a lighter vegetable side to your curry, rice, or dal.

Real Tikka Masala Sauce

A Delhi-style makhani sauce made with British butter, cashews, tomatoes, and freshly ground spices.

Calories (per 100g): 60 kcal
Why it's a lighter option: At 60 kcal per 100g, the sauce gives you control over the meat, seafood, paneer, or vegetables you add to your finished curry.
Nutritional value: 5.3g fat and 1.1g protein per 100g before adding your chosen protein or vegetables.
Perfect for: Anyone who wants to build their own curry and control exactly what goes into the final dish.

Kashmiri Korma Sauce

A mild and aromatic sauce made with tomatoes, cream, butter, cashews, almonds, and spices.

Calories (per 100g): 59 kcal
Why it's a lighter option: At 59 kcal per 100g, it is one of the lighter options in this selection while still containing the cream, butter, and nuts associated with korma.
Nutritional value: 5.3g fat and 0.9g protein per 100g before you add your chosen protein or vegetables.
Perfect for: Anyone who wants to prepare a mild korma at home without making the sauce from scratch.

Getting the Most Out of a Lighter Curry Night

A few simple choices can keep a curry night lighter without taking away from the flavour. Pair a lower-calorie curry such as Chettinad Chicken Curry or Village Chicken Curry with a vegetable side like Carrot & Beans Poriyal, and be mindful of extras such as naan and poppadoms.

If you already have chicken, vegetables, paneer, or another favourite ingredient at home, Real Tikka Masala Sauce and Kashmiri Korma Sauce are also useful options. You can browse the Low-Calorie collection to compare all 12 options and their nutritional information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Indian food generally high in calories?

It depends on the recipe. Curries made with larger amounts of cream, butter, ghee, or oil can be higher in calories, while lentil, vegetable, and tomato-based dishes may be lighter.

Can a creamy curry still be lower in calories?

Yes. Delhi Butter Chicken and Kashmiri Chicken Korma both contain cream and other rich ingredients while remaining below 90 kcal per 100g.

Are these low-calorie dishes suitable for meal prep?

They can be convenient for meal planning because Chef Akila’s dishes are supplied frozen, allowing you to keep different options ready for another day.

Which sides are better with a lower-calorie curry?

Vegetable sides, smaller portions of rice, or lighter lentil dishes can work well. Naan, poppadoms, and fried sides can increase the overall calorie count quickly.