Prawn Biryani

Ingredients
198 ml/ 7 floz Water or Vegetable Stock
1 Onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp each of finely grated Ginger, Chilli Powder and crushed Cardamom Seeds
2 Garlic Cloves, peeled and grated or crushed
2 tsp Cumin Seeds
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1 tbsp Mild Curry Powder
1 Cinnamon Stick and 2 Cloves
1 Carrot, peeled and finely chopped
100g / 3 1/2 oz Fine Green Beans, trimmed and chopped
4 tbsp fat-free Natural Yogurt
198g / 7oz dried Basmati Rice
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
596g / 1lb 5oz Raw Tiger Prawns
a handful of chopped Coriander


Method
Place a wide, non-stick pan over a medium heat.  Add the water or stock and onion, stir and cook for 5-6 minutes until the onion has softened.
Add the ginger, chilli powder, cardamom seeds, garlic, cumin seeds, turmeric, curry powder, cinnamon stick and cloves, stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the vegetables and yogurt, stir and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add the rice and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.  Season well.
Pour in 511ml / 18 floz of boiling hot water and bring to the boil.  Add the prawns, cover tightly and reduce the heat to very low.  Cook undisturbed for 12-15 minutes then remove from the heat and allow to stand, again undisturbed, for 10 minutes.
To serve, uncover and fluff up with a fork, stir in the chopped coriander and eat immediately.


Recommended by Natalie

Goan Fish Curry

Ingredients
1 tsp Chilli Powder
1 tbsp Paprika
1 tsp Turmeric
4 Garlic Cloves, peeled and crushed
2 tsp finely grated Ginger
2 tbsp Ground Cumin or to taste
2 level tbsp Tomato Puree
1/4 tsp Artificial Sweetener
2 tsp Tamarind Paste
198 ml/ 7 floz Blue Dragon Light Coconut Milk
794 g/ 1 lb 12oz Thick White Skinless Fish Fillets, cut into bite-sized peices
198 g/7 oz Baby Pak Choi, roughly chopped
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Chopped Coriander, to garnish


Method
Place the chilli powder, paprika, turmeric, garlic, ginger, cumin, tomato puree and sweetener in a saucepan and mix with 312ml/11floz of water until smooth.  Place the pan over a high heat and bring to the boil.  Cover, reduce the heat and simmer gently for 8-10 minutes.
Stir in the tamarind paste and coconut milk and bring back to the boil.  Add the fish pieces and pak choi and cook for 6-7 minutes or until cooked through.  Season well and serve immediately, garnished with the chopped coriander.


Recommended by Natalie

Chicken Jamboree

Ingredients
8 large skinless Chicken thighs, bone in
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
8-12 Garlic Cloves, unpeeled
2 Onions, peeled, halved and sliced
2 Carrots, peeled and sliced
198g/7oz Button Mushrooms
624ml/22floz Stock made with Chicken Bovril
1 Bay Leaf
1 tbsp finely chopped Thyme
6 Peppercorns
finely chopped Parsley, to garnish


Method
Pre-heat the oven to 190c/Gas 5.  Season the chicken and place in a heavy-based casserole dish with the garlic, onions, carrots, mushrooms, stock, bay leaf, thyme and peppercorns.
Bring to the boil over a high heat, season and then place in the oven and cook for 35-40 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.  Discard the garlic and bay leaf, and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

Recommended by Natalie

Chunky Sausage and Chicken Hotpot

Ingredients
Fry Light
1 Onion, peeled and chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, peeled and crushed
8 Bowyers Less Than 5% Fat Pork Sausages, chopped
4 x 133g/4oz Chicken Breasts, skinless and chopped
2 tbsp medium Curry Powder
2 Carrots, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
2 Red Peppers, deseeded and chopped
400ml /14 floz Passata
198ml /7 floz Stock made with Chicken Bovril
1-2 tsp Artificial Sweetener
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
A small handful of Fresh Mixed Herbs


Method
Spray a pan with Fry Light and cook the onion, garlic, sausages, chicken and curry powder for 2-3 minutes.  Stir in the carrots, peppers, passata, stock and sweetener.  Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12-15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Season to taste and ladle into warmed bowls.  Chop the herbs, sprinkle over and serve.

Recommended by Natalie

Chicken Balti

Ingredients
2 Chicken Breast
1 Pepper
1 Onion
1 Courgette (or other veg of your choice, I like Butter Beans)
Can of Chopped Tomatoes
1 tbsp Pataks Balti Curry Paste
1/2 pint Stock
Brown Rice, to serve


Method
Chop up Chicken and Veg.
Put into Wok / Saute pan until browned.
Add the can of tomatoes, Balti paste and stock, until all the chicken and veg is covered.
Leave to simmer and reduce for approx 1/2 hour.
Serve with Rice


Recommended by Natalie

Express Chicken Fajita Salad

Ingredients
4 Chicken Breasts, cut into strips
2 tsp Paprika
2 tsp Ground Cumin
3 Peppers, different colours and sliced
142g Fat Free Yogurt
Juice of one lime
Rice
Veg Stock
1/2 tsp Turmeric
Salad Leaves, Lettuce/Spinach
Tomatoes, chopped
Cucumber, chopped


Method
Coat the Chicken with the Paprika and Cumin and set to one side.
Stir-Fry the peppers for 6-7 minutes and then remove to one side.
Stir-Fry the Chicken Strips for 5 minutes or until cooked through.
Cook the rice in veg stock with the Turmeric for the stated amount of time on the packet.
To make the dip, mix together the yogurt and the lime juice and season with salt and pepper.
Serve with the salad leaves.  Spoon over the flavoured rice, add the tomatoes, cucumber, peppers and chicken.  And drizzle with yogurt dip and a wedge of lime for squeezing over.

Recommended by Katie

Homemade Coleslaw

Ingredients
2 Carrots, Coarsely Grated
1 Small Red Onion, Finely Sliced
255g Green Cabbage, Cored and Shredded
85g Fat-Free Natural Fromage Frais
2 level tbsp Extra Light Mayonnaise


Method
Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix together


Recommended by Katie

Cheese Scones

Makes 12 potions

Ingredients

500 ml Flour (2 cups)

15 ml Baking Powder (3 tsp)

Pinch of Salt

Sprinkle of Cayenne Pepper/Chilli Powder (optional)

250 ml low-fat Strong Cheddar cheese (grated)

15 ml Vegetable Oil (3 tsp)

15 ml Semi-Skimmed Milk

1 Egg

Method

Sift flour, baking powder, salt and cayenne pepper into a large bowl.  Add the cheese and mix through the flour mixture.

Beat the egg and milk together in a separate bowl and add the oil.  The Oil replaces the butter/margarine that usually gets used to rub into the flour.  By using oil you cut down on the dreaded calories and it saves a lot of time.

Pour the milk/egg/oil mixture into the flour and using a metal spoon/fork, mix the dough until it clumps together, but is not too dry.  If too dry, splash a bit more milk in to use up the flout.

Press the dough out on a flat clean floured surface until it is about 5mm thick, then fold it over on top of itself (this gives the finished scones the natural "break" to cut open), flatten it again, using the palm of your hand. Do not use a rolling pin as it is too heavy and will prevent the scones from rising.

Cut out your scones using a round cutter (you decide the size) or if you don't have a cutter handy use a drinking glass.  Place them on a baking tray, pop them in the oven at 180c for 15-20 minutes.

Recommended by Katie

Fat-Free Sponge

Ingredients 
4 Eggs
4oz Self-Raising Flour 
4oz Sugar 

Method
Pre-heat your oven to 160c and line a cake tin. Whip the eggs and sugar together until they look like meringue. Gently fold in the flour and put the cake batter in the cake tin. Bake for 45 minutes or until cooked through. Recommended by Lucie