In 2026, healthy eating is no longer about giving up the food we love, it is about cooking smarter. With the average Indian consuming 10.98g of salt daily, more than twice the WHO’s recommended limit,
the need for mindful sodium choices has become increasingly important.
Chef Ajay Chopra brings a taste-first approach to regional Indian kitchens with recipes that celebrate familiar flavours while making thoughtful sodium choices.
From the earthy bite of Menthya Matvadi Palya and the rustic depth of Moringa Pods Keema to the tangy comfort of Sindhi Kulith Tomato Curry, these dishes showcase how Indian cooking already possesses powerful flavour builders, slow roasting, tempering, spices, herbs, coconut, tamarind, and fermented or umami-rich ingredients such as dashi.
With umami-rich ingredients and a pinch of MSG, these dishes retain their bold, savoury character while helping reduce dependence on excess salt. MSG contains two-thirds less sodium than table salt and enhances umami, making it a smart tool for sodium-conscious cooking.
These are recipes for today’s kitchens: traditional at heart, chef-approved in technique, and balanced for a flavour-forward, health-conscious lifestyle.
Menthya Matvadi Palya (Methi Soppu Chana Dal Crumble)
A comforting South Indian crumble where earthy methi, roasted chana dal, coconut, and tempering come together to create deep umami flavours with a smarter sodium balance.
Ingredients
½ cup chana dal (dry)
3 cups methi leaves (loosely packed)
3 green chilies
½ inch ginger, chopped
¾ tsp salt
⅛ tsp asafoetida
½ tsp mustard seeds
1 sprig curry leaves
2 dried red chilies
¼ tsp turmeric
2 tbsp grated coconut
Oil, as required
Method
Wash the chana dal and soak it for 2 hours.
Drain completely.
Grind coarsely with green chilies, ginger, and salt using little to no water.
Keep the texture slightly grainy, not smooth.
Wash methi leaves 2–3 times to remove dirt.
Drain well and chop finely.
Heat oil in a wide pan.
Add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter.
Add asafoetida, curry leaves, and dried red chilies.
Add chopped methi and turmeric.
Stir-fry on high heat until wilted and the moisture reduces.
Add the ground dal mixture.
Break it into small crumbles using a spatula.
Cook on a low to medium flame, stirring occasionally.
Roast until the dal turns golden and crumbly.
Add grated coconut.
Mix well and cook for another 1–2 minutes.
Moringa Pods Keema
Umami-rich moringa pods tossed with bold roasted masala and tempered shallots create a hearty, flavour-packed dish in every bite.
Ingredients
Boiled drumstick (moringa) pods, cut into small pieces
Salt, to taste
Tamarind paste (Hunase Hannu rasa), to taste
Fresh cilantro, chopped
3–4 Byadagi red chilies
1 tsp methi (fenugreek) seeds
1 tsp peppercorns
1 tsp cumin seeds
3–5 large garlic cloves
A handful of desiccated coconut
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp jeera
Few curry leaves
2 dried red chilies
9–10 shallots (or 1 onion), finely chopped
Method
Dry roast the red chilies, methi, peppercorns, cumin, and garlic until aromatic.
Add desiccated coconut and roast lightly.
Cool and grind into a coarse crumble resembling a kheema-like texture.
Heat oil in a pan.
Add jeera, dried red chilies, and curry leaves.
Once the jeera splutters, add shallots.
Sauté until soft and lightly golden.
Keep a small portion of the tadka aside for garnish.
To the remaining tadka, add boiled moringa pods.
Add salt and a little tamarind paste.
Mix well and cook on a low flame for 3–4 minutes.
Add the ground masala crumble.
Sauté gently until everything is evenly coated and slightly dry.
Add chopped cilantro.
Top with the reserved tadka.
Mix and serve hot.
Sindhi Kulith Tomato Curry
Tangy tomato curry gets a smarter sodium twist with horse gram stock, dashi, drumstick, and MSG adding deep umami-rich flavour without relying heavily on salt.
Ingredients
15 g oil
1 g methi seeds
2 g jeera
0.3 g hing (a pinch)
3 g curry leaves
5 g green chilies, finely chopped
5 g ginger, finely chopped
20 g besan
250 g horse gram boiled stock
125 g dashi
120 g drumstick pieces (2-inch pieces)
100 g tomato puree (made from boiled tomatoes)
15 g tamarind pulp
8 g salt (adjust to taste)
1 g Ajinomoto (MSG)
0.5 g xanthan gum
Method
Heat oil in a saucepan.
Add methi seeds, jeera, and hing.
Add curry leaves, green chilies, and ginger.
Sauté until aromatic.
Add besan.
Roast on a medium flame until golden brown and nutty.
Gradually whisk in the horse gram stock to avoid lumps.
Add dashi and bring to a boil.
Add drumstick pieces.
Simmer until tender, about 8–10 minutes.
Add tomato puree and tamarind pulp.
Add salt and Ajinomoto.
Allow the curry to boil for flavour integration.
Strain for a smooth consistency.
Return to heat.
Add xanthan gum.
Blend immediately while hot using a stick blender.
Simmer for 1–2 minutes until glossy.
