Last Updated on January 11, 2026
Rogan Josh Low Calorie Curry – Bootcamp Favourite Diet Recipe:
One of the biggest surprises for me on the Revival bootcamp was just how good the food tasted. Of course, that could have been all the fresh air and exercise, but it might also have had something to do with eating freshly prepared meals made from great ingredients. I spent some time talking with chef and dietician Diana Green, who was cooking for us throughout our stay and also helping us to understand a little more about nutrition and weight loss, and persuaded her to share a few recipes with me. While we were not following a 5:2 diet during the boot camp, our daily calorie intake was limited to around 1300 calories. That was combined with the high level of physical activity (around 10 hours a day). So, whatever Diana prepared had to be nutritious and sustaining enough that we all felt capable of taking part in the boot camp (remember, we were just a stone’s throw from the bars and cafes of Sitges town centre).
In fact, Diana prepared three meals and two snacks a day. Each meal was tailored in some way to the activity that was planned. Everything was gluten-free and lactose-free. And of course, there was no caffeine or alcohol. The intention – a detox combined with fitness training that might kick-start a healthier lifestyle. While the portion sizes were generally small, I never felt hungry. And that, I believe, was at least partly due to the careful balance of protein-rich, low-fat dishes we ate.
Rogan Josh is a traditional curry from Kashmir, best known for its deep red colour, rich aroma, and slow-cooked meat. The name is Persian in origin, from “Rogan” for oil and “Josh” for heat, so ‘cooked in oil at intense heat’. This version includes chickpeas, which help make a healthier, higher-fibre dish. And, it’s cooked without using any oil at all, which I suppose contradicts the name. But, it’s still a very convincing dish, thanks to careful spicing.
This Rogan Josh was my personal favourite from the camp. It was unexpectedly delicious, and although it’s a little fiddly in that it involves blending your own spices, the results are amazingly good and worth the extra effort. Best of all, Diana has shared the recipe so you can try it for yourself at home.
Low Calorie Rogan Josh with Cucumber Raita
Ingredients
Rogan Josh
- 400 g Red meat beef or lamb
- 100 g Chickpeas weight when soaked – or use tinned
- 25 g Raisins
- 2 Medium Onions
- 6 cloves Garlic
- 1 piece Root ginger about 2cm cube
- 1 teaspoon Fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon Coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon Ground paprika
- 1 Chilli or one tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons Garam masala
- 2 tablespoons Tomato puree
Cucumber Raita
- 400 g Soya yoghurt
- 1/2 Cucumber
- 1 tablespoon Fresh mint
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
Rogan Josh
- Soak the chickpeas overnight and simmer until tender (or use tinned)
- Toast the fennel, cumin and coriander seeds in a dry frying pan, then grind
- Blend the ginger and garlic with 500ml of water in a liquidiser
- Slice the onion
- Chop the meat into chunks and brown in a pan with the onion and a little water (no oil)
- Add the blended garlic and ginger
- Add all the spices and tomato puree
- Add raisins and cooked chickpeas
- Simmer gently until the meat is tender, adding more water if necessary
- Season with salt if necessary
Cucumber Raita
- Chop the cucumber finely
- Chop the mint
- Mix all ingredients together and serve with rogan josh
Nutrition
With 350 calories per portion, this low-calorie rogan josh recipe would be perfect for a 5:2 diet fast day. And one of the best things about a delicious curry like this is that if you are catering for a non-dieting partner or family, you can easily add rice, naan bread or a dahl to provide more food! This curry recipe is high protein and low fat (33g protein, 6g fat and 32g carbs), so perfect for all sorts of diets. At Bootcamp, some diners didn’t eat red meat, so this recipe was also served using chicken.
So, if like me, you are already planning how to recover from the excesses of Christmas, this low-calorie Rogan Josh curry recipe is a great way to start, whether you are following the 5:2 diet, Paleo or any other kind of low-calorie diet.
Meanwhile, if you are looking for another Indian inspired recipe, do check my low-calorie red lentil dahl
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