It’s no secret that us Brits love a good curry. We’ve adopted it as a national dish and it has become an integral part of our British culinary culture. Curry is often thought of as an unhealthy choice due to the great number of Indian takeaways in the UK but tomato based curries can actually be really healthy and can help boost the metabolism. Indian cooking utilises plenty of distinctive herbs and spices, each one has incredibly unique health benefits. From Cardamom which can help with digestive problems to Turmeric with its anti-inflammatory properties; the spices in Indian food are known for their medicinal benefits. Curry only starts to become a problem when cream and Ghee are added. Then there’s all the carb loaded sides that go along with it. Just think about the additional calories in those naan breads and rice! For those who like to keep fit and healthy, a Friday night in the local curry house with a few pints just isn’t an option.
That’s why we’re so pleased to have discovered Bundobust…
Their modern take on Indian street food offers a fresh and exciting new way of enjoying Indian cuisine. They have an entirely vegetarian menu with vegan and gluten free options to suit most dietary requirements. If like myself, you make an effort to be a bit healthier by cutting down on things like meat and gluten, you’ll be amazed at how incredibly tasty the food is and you certainly won’t feel like you’re missing out on anything. All of the dishes come as small plates and range from £2.50 – £6 meaning you get to sample a good portion of the menu without feeling the pinch in your wallet or your waist band. Happy days!
The menu is intriguing. Every option sounds exciting and imaginative, we felt spoilt for choice. When our food arrived, we were treated to an array of colourful and enticing looking little dishes; each one proving more delicious and different than the last. All the ingredients were fresh and flavoursome, a real adventure for our taste buds!
Whilst we’re not promoting Bundobust as being downright healthy, as their food is still fried, it does offer a much lighter alternative to any regular Indian restaurant and it is definitely worth the indulgence for the culinary experience! We think it’s the perfect place for a cheat day meal.
Take a look at what we ordered:
Okra Fries – Okra is lightly coated in a crunchy chickpea batter making these tasty snacks vegan and gluten free. We admit, not the healthiest but a great alternative to normal fries! Okra, also known as ‘lady’s fingers’ has loads of great health benefits; it can help prevent diabetes, assist with kidney disease, support colon health, improve respiratory issues like asthma, boost digestive health, aid weight management and keep skin healthy.
Bundo Chaat – Think of it as a deconstructed samosa. All the crunchy, scrumptious elements of a veggie samosa with dipping sauces but broken down into layers. Full of great flavours and textures, by far our favourite dish!
Biryani Bhaji Balls – Imagine arancini with the flavours of a biryani. Rolled rice balls are coated in a spicy tomato sauce which packs a punch! This delivers the perfect amount of rice that doesn’t leave you feeling overly bloated like a side of rice usually would.
Paneer and Mushroom Tikka – Fresh tasting cheese, mushrooms and red peppers are barbecued to perfection on skewers. Red pepper ketchup and spinach chutney offer a balance of two sauces that are both spicy and sweet. A really great combo. While we know cheese isn’t healthy, Paneer is actually made from the protein part of the milk not the fat. This makes it a good source of calcium and protein – per 100g, it contains 18g of protein.
It was like no Indian food we’d ever had before and we loved how everything was served up in such an interesting and innovative way. Thanks to the guys at Bundobust we had a great time and will certainly be going back for more, we definitely recommend you try it out too.
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