Curry Night - Then and Now

Monday night is Curry Night in our house. Yes, I know it's a bit strange, but we are both woodwind players, and the last thing you want is to be breathing last night's garlic fumes into expensive instruments - and we are not usually playing on Tuesdays. I thought it might be interesting to compare what I typically used to eat on Curry Night with what I ate last Monday. I don't usually fill in my food diary nowadays, as I am trying to get used to feeling what is reasonable, rather than calculating it exactly, but I think the calorie difference is obvious.

STARTERS

THEN

Poppadoms and/or bombay mix and/or nuts.

Large gin and tonic

THIS MONDAY NIGHT

Three poppadoms

A pint of lo-cal tonic

MAIN COURSE

THEN

Chicken curry (chicken, onions, oil/ghee, creamed coconut, peppers, tomato purée, chillies, spices)
Dahl (lentils, onions, oil, spices)
Rice
Naan
Sliced bananas
Chutney
Two pints of beer

THIS MONDAY NIGHT

Chicken curry (chicken, onions, celery, spinach, aubergine, chillies, lemon juice, spices)
Rice (with chopped onions and red peppers)
Chutney
Two pints of no-alcohol beer

DESSERT

THEN

Cheese (a lot!)
Two thick slices of granary bread
A big glass of port

THIS MONDAY NIGHT

Peach, apricot, grapes, apple
Large pot of soya 'milk' yoghurt
Black coffee

What's particularly important is that I really enjoy this, and don't miss the 'then' curry at all. The 'now' curry is just as big as the 'then' and, while it is doesn't have the same sinful fatty sensation in the mouth, I now feel that's a good thing. And in any case the slow-cooked aubergine has that same sort of thick texture. So, I enjoy it, it feels like a treat, and it's not many calories - what's not to love?!