My two girls, Reet and Neev, were both born in Britain. We eat a huge variety of foods at home: some British, some Indian, and some that riff on both cuisines. Food is an important part of our lives, and as a mother I’m conscious of my responsibility to teach them how to feed themselves. That means setting a good example.

The Asian community is in the major “at risk” group for heart disease, and, nine years ago, I worried about my own heart health. Looking in the mirror, I saw a woman who had never lost her baby weight and who, fuelled by curries made with creamy sauces and pounds of ghee, continued to get fatter. I decided to do something about it, combining exercise with a change in my cooking practices.

Many people will think “Indian food” and picture curries swimming in oil. And this is often the case. The clarified butter we call ghee is a staple across the country; oils are used abundantly in marinades and many recipes involve deep frying, too, such as the unleavened bread known as puri, jalebi (a sweet, deep-fried wheat batter), Keralan banana chips, samosas … the list goes on.

But Indian food doesn’t have to be bad for you! It’s easy to accentuate it with spicing and powerful flavours, without excessive amounts of fat or sugar. I’m still enjoying all the same dishes I used to, but have modified my ingredients and methods, deconstructing Indian cuisine to suit my needs. Where standard recipes call for tablespoons of ghee, I instead choose teaspoons of rapeseed oil (lower in saturated fat and a good source of vitamin E) and often make intense stocks in a pressure cooker to heighten flavour.

‘If you’re looking for bright, fresh Indian dishes that don’t sit heavily in the stomach, this week’s recipes fit the bill,’ says Romy. Photograph: Elena Heatherwick/The Guardian

Like many Bengalis, I have a sweet tooth. Perhaps the hardest thing to give up was sugar, both added to chai tea, and in desserts. Now I substitute date sugar for the refined stuff in my cakes and Indian rice puddings, and enjoy lassis with roasted cumin and black salt instead of sugary ones. I’ve had to retrain both my palate and cookery palette, making sure I cook as much as I can from scratch to stay aware of what goes in. It’s paid off: I’ve lost over three stone as a result.

If you’re looking for bright, fresh Indian dishes that don’t sit heavily in the stomach, this week’s recipes fit the bill. The roasted aubergines feature garlic and a variety of spices and, importantly, a beautifully rich charred flavour that doesn’t rely on saturated fat. I use rapeseed oil for the pan-frying stage, rather than the typical vegetable oil or ghee. I roast the aubergines over a gas burner (but they can also be done in the oven if you use an electric or ceramic hob); roasting them in such a way imparts a smokiness and makes the skins easy to remove.

These pair perfectly with my refreshing mung dal salad with pomegranate, dressed with a vibrant concoction that uses only a tiny amount of oil alongside mustard, lemon juice and balsamic vinegar. Finally, there’s my recipe for chicken quickly marinated with dried fenugreek leaves, which lend the meat a particular bitter note, balanced here by the honey. All this is proof – I hope – that “healthy food” needn’t be second rate or time consuming, and that the Indian culinary canon is as conducive to a healthy lifestyle as any other.

Smoky roasted aubergines

Serves 4

4 aubergines

4 tsp rapeseed oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 onions, finely chopped

2 tomatoes, finely chopped

4 green chillies, finely chopped

4 tsp fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp ground cumin

Salt, to taste

1 Char the aubergines on a gas burner over a medium heat, turning regularly for even roasting. When roasted, set aside to cool. Once cooled, peel the skins from the roasted aubergines, then mash.

2 Heat the oil in a nonstick pan. Add the cumin seeds, then immediately add the sliced garlic and stir for a minute. Add the chopped onions and cook, stirring, for 4-5 minutes on a high heat. Keep stirring.

3 Add the chopped tomatoes, green chillies and coriander and cook for 2 minutes. Add the rest of the spices and the salt. Mix well.

4 Add the mashed aubergine, cover the pan and cook for 5 minutes over a low heat.

‘Indian food doesn’t have to be bad for you!’ says Romy. ‘It’s easy to accentuate it with spicing and powerful flavours.’ Photograph: Elena Heatherwick/The Guardian

Mung dal salad

Serves 4

200g mung dal

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp of olive oil

½ tsp salt

Seeds from 2 pomegranates

8 small radishes, chopped

6 cherry tomatoes, quartered

2 spring onions, chopped

2 tsp wholegrain mustard

1 Wash the mung dal well and soak in water overnight. Once ready, boil the soaked mung dal for 10 minutes. Drain the water.

2 Add the lemon juice and balsamic vinegar to a bowl. Add the olive oil and salt, then mix well.

3 Combine all the other ingredients together, then add the dal. Add the mung dal and mix very well. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and preferably let the salad rest for a while before serving.

Chicken drumsticks with dried fenugreek leaves

Serves 4

500g chicken drumsticks

Juice of ½ a lemon

Salt, to taste

1 tsp turmeric powder

3 tsp rapeseed oil

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 bay leaves

4 tsp ginger, grated

3 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp honey

4 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (not seeds)

2 red onions, finely sliced

2 green chillies, chopped

1 Slice the chicken (near the bone if your pieces have them), then marinate the meat in the lemon juice, salt and turmeric powder for around 10 minutes.

2 Heat the oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds and bay leaves. Add the ginger, then cook for a minute. Add the marinated chicken on a high heat. Keep moving until the chicken is brown on all sides.

3 Add the soy sauce, honey and dried fenugreek leaves, mix well, and cook for another minute. Add the sliced red onions and green chillies. Mix all the ingredients well and cook on a medium heat. Keep stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked – roughly 15-20 minutes if boneless and 30-35 minutes with bones.

4 Once cooked, cover the pan and let the chicken rest before serving.