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Grilled and barbecued

All things roasted The ‘healthy food’ tag added to grilled items is resulting in more takers

It’s yummy but not heavy on the tummy. Grilled food is gaining popularity what with the availability of indoor grills, sometimes built into the stove top that help spur interest in the oldest form of cooking. “Thou should eat to live; not live to eat,” said philosopher Socrates. But for die-hard foodies it actually goes the other way. Summer calls for light and less spicy food. For those who are figure conscious and “eating right,” grilled food is the answer to all their prayers.

A high protein diet is the most popular diets around these days. Whether your aim is to increase muscle, gain weight and get big or lose weight by losing fat, or stay lean, this type of diet is right for you. Most high protein foods are extremely low in carbs and saturated fat And, if you didn’t already know, in order to lose weight or fat, eating low carbs and eating little or no saturated fat is a must. Grilled chicken or fish have high protein content and are the perfect solution for all weight watchers. Fast to cook and healthy to eat, grilled food is the best to eat.

Amrita, a gourmet cook says: “To be able to serve mouth-watering barbecued chicken is a rare art. One has to be very careful when grilling chicken – if not done right, it’s either burnt or raw. Ideally, the chicken should be crisp on the outside, moist and tender inside.” “A charcoal grill is the traditional option and a lot of people love it for this reason alone. It involves the primal enjoyment of working with fire (like our tandoor} to properly cook the food,” says Manisha.

The charcoal grill is most loved because of the smoky or grilled flavour it gives to the food and there is no need of fancy OTG’s or a Convection micro-wave to cook these delicacies. Ruchi, a housewife, shares an easy tip to make a grill with just an iron basin with red hot coals and an iron mesh on top to roast your marinated chicken or vegetables. Men, especially, seem drawn to the allure of the open flame and love to don the chef’s cap and apron in front of a barbeque. Neeraj, a self declared barbecue chef, offers a recipe for grilled pomfret. Take the whole pomfret, wash and smear it with turmeric and salt to remove the fishy odour. Make gashes on it with a sharp knife and marinate it in fresh mint and coriander chutney. Keep aside for half an hour and grill it till done. Garnish it with onion rings and lemon wedges and serve hot.

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