Cajun salmon
Serves 4
Using punchy flavours such as Cajun seasoning helps to keep your cooking exciting, taking lower-calorie mealtimes to the next level.
- 4 skinless salmon fillets (120g each)
- 250g (1 small head) broccoli
- 1 cal sunflower oil spray
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the Cajun seasoning:
- 1 heaped tsp ground cumin
- 1tsp garlic granules
- ½tsp cayenne pepper
- ½tsp dried oregano
- ½tsp dried thyme
- For the dirty rice
- 1tsp olive oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, slices
- 1 red pepper, cored, deseeded and finely diced
- 1tbsp tomato purée
- 1tsp dried oregano
- ½tsp dried thyme
- 200ml fresh chicken stock
- 400g tin black-eyed beans
- 500g cooked brown and wild rice (freshly cooked and drained or two pouches)
- 4 spring onions, finely sliced
To serve:
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Preheat the oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6.
For the Cajun seasoning, mix the ingredients together in a small bowl with 1tsp of flaky sea salt.
Pat each salmon fillet dry with kitchen paper, then sprinkle with the seasoning on all sides. Leave to marinate while you prepare the broccoli and dirty rice.
Line a baking tray with a silicone mat (or spray with oil). Cut the broccoli into bite-sized florets and spread out on the tray. Cook on a high shelf in the oven for 12 minutes or until the broccoli is lightly charred and cookedthrough.
Meanwhile, for the dirty rice, heat the oil in a large sauté pan over a medium heat. When hot, add the onion and cook for four to five minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for two minutes, then add the red pepper and tomato purée and stir well.
Add the oregano, thyme and stock and bring to a simmer.
Drain the black-eyed beans and add to the pan with the rice. Cook for another five minutes. Season well with salt and pepper and stir through the spring onions.
Heat a medium, non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Spray the salmon fillets with oil then place in the pan. Cook for two to three minutes on each side or until lightly charred and cookedthrough.
Spoon the rice into four shallow bowls and add the broccoli and salmon. Serve at once, with lime wedges.
Per serving: 552 calories, 41g protein, 55g carbs, 17g fat, 9g fibre.
Top Tip: To achieve maximum flavour and texture I like to use a small amount of a high-calorie ingredient in a clever way.
Malaysian-style beef curry
Serves 4
Here, galangal, tamarind and lemongrass introduce more subtle flavours than the often fiery heat of a classic Indian curry. Give it a try to make a change from your usual curry.
- 650g lean stewing beef
- 1tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 litre fresh beef stock
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 star anise
- 2 kaffir lime leaves
- 150ml tinned coconut milk
- 1tbsp tamarind paste
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the spice paste:
- 8 shallots, quartered
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled
- 2 dried chillies, stalks removed
- 2 long red chillies, deseeded
- 2½cm piece fresh ginger, diced
- 2½cm piece fresh galangal, diced
- 2 lemongrass stems, coarse layers removed, chopped
- 1tsp ground turmeric
To finish and serve:
- 500g cooked brown rice (freshly cooked and drained or two pouches)
- A handful of coriander leaves
- 1 long red chilli, finely sliced
First, prepare the spice paste: put all the ingredients into a food processor along with 1 tsp of salt and blend until smooth, adding a splash of water ifneeded.
Cut the beef into 2½cm cubes.
Place a large, non-stick saucepan over a high heat and add the oil. When hot, add the spice paste and cook, stirring, for one minute or untilfragrant.
Add the beef and cook, stirring regularly, for five minutes until starting to brown. Add the stock, cinnamon, star anise and lime leaves. Bring to a low simmer, cover and cook gently for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and cook for a further 20 minutes or until the sauce is thickened and the beef is tender.
Increase the heat, stir in the coconut milk and tamarind paste and cook for a further five minutes.
If using pouches of rice, heat up according to the packet instructions.
Season the curry with salt and pepper to taste and discard the cinnamon stick and star anise.
Divide the rice and curry between warmed bowls and top with coriander leaves and chilli slices to serve.
Per serving: 613 calories, 66g protein, 42g carbs, 19g fat, 3g fibre.
Read More:
Tom Kerridge: The Lose Weight and Get Fit chef on trying to regain fitness – and why carbs are back on the menu
Monkfish and coconut curry
Serves 2
Monkfish is a robust, meaty fish that’s great in a curry as it holds its own well with complex spices. Red lentils and coconut provide richness and make this dish feel substantial, yet it is still light – the perfect cosy winter feast.
- 1tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2½cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 1 long red chilli, finely sliced (with seeds)
- A handful of curry leaves
- 1 heaped tsp ground turmeric
- 1tsp ground coriander
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced
- 400ml fresh vegetable stock
- 50g red lentils
- 400g monkfish fillets
- 100g green beans
- 100ml tinned coconut milk
- 2tbsp roughly chopped coriander leaves
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Heat the oil in a large, non-stick sauté pan over a medium-high heat. When hot, add the onion and cook for five minutes or until softened and starting to brown.
Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and cook for a couple of minutes. Now add the curry leaves, turmeric and ground coriander and cook, stirring for one minute or until fragrant.
Add the tomatoes, stock and lentils to the pan. Stir, bring to the boil over a medium heat and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes or until the sauce is thickened and the lentils are tender.
Meanwhile, cut the monkfish into 4cm pieces, and trim the green beans and cut them in half.
Add the monkfish and coconut milk to the pan and cook over a gentle heat for two to three minutes. Add the beans and cook for a further three to four minutes. Remove from the heat, taste to check the seasoning and stir in the coriander. Serve in warmed bowls.
Per serving: 435 calories, 41g protein, 27g carbs, 16g fat, 7g fibre.
Lose Weight & Get Fit by Tom Kerridge is published by Bloomsbury Absolute, priced £22.
The accompanying TV show airs on BBC2 at 8.30pm on Wednesdays.
