It’s the New Year, and it’s most definitely time to lose weight. So it’s back in the Slimming World diet (without actually re-joining the club – I have all the books now!).
I did this last year and lost 1 1/2 stones, so I know it works for me, and one of my favourite things to eat was a fat free curry. By my reckoning it’s ‘syn free’ in Slimming World speak, which basically means on the ‘extra easy’ plan you can eat as much as you like. Yes really!!
So I thought I would share my recipe with you. I make a big pot and freeze portions for days when I can’t be bothered to cook, or sometimes I take it into work for lunch.
There are not really precise amounts or particular ingredients that I use, just what’s in the fridge and cupboard, but do try and get a good mix of veg, as that makes it stretch further.
Fry light cooking spray
1 large onion, diced
1 red pepper diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 chicken breasts, skin and any visible fat removed (I use free range), chopped into bite sized chunks
Curry powder (not paste)
1 large carrot, chopped
Green beans, halved
Handful of new potatoes, halved
Handful of mushrooms (I like chestnut mushrooms)
Can of chickpeas, drained
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
1 chicken stock cube
Bunch of coriander, chopped
Bag of fresh spinach
Spray your pan with Fry Light (this is essential -don’t use oil as this is what makes it fat free!) and add the onions. Put a lid on and sweat the onions over a low heat for about 10 minutes. If they start to brown too much add a little water to stop them sticking. You want them to be soft and translucent.
Add the peppers and let them soften, then add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes.
Turn up the heat and add the chicken allowing it to brown slightly. Then chuck in the curry powder using the amount recommended on the pack. It doesn’t really matter which curry powder you use. I like Sharwoods, but use whatever you have. Do not use curry paste as this usually has oil added. Mix to coat the contents of the pan then cook for a couple of minutes.
Add the rest of the veg (not the spinach or chickpeas) and stir. If you are using cauliflower or broccoli add it later as it cooks quicker than the other veg and can go mushy if you overcook it.
Add the canned tomatoes, stock cube and enough water to make a slightly runny sauce (fill one of the cans about half way- that should be enough). Don’t worry if its too runny, you can boil it off later.
Add 2/3rds of the coriander and the can of chickpeas. Stir and put the lid on.
Cook until the chicken and veg are all cooked through. If the sauce is a bit thin take off the lid and cook for a while to allow some of the liquid to boil off.
Add the spinach and remainder of the coriander. Put the lid back on and allow it to wilt, then stir it in.
It should look like this…
And I like to serve it with rice and a huge dollop of fat free Greek yoghurt.
The recipe would work equally well with prawns instead of chicken, just add them at the end of the cooking time.
What do you think? I would love to hear your thoughts and syn free recipes.
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