Beef Dhansak

Free on EE, 4 on Red, 5 on Green

Serves 6

400g can red lentils, rinsed
2 carrots
½ a small swede, peeled and diced
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tsp ground turmeric
salt to taste
400g can chopped tomatoes
454g/1lb of lean beef cut into 2.5cm/1”cubes
Fry Light
2.5cm/1” ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp of turmeric
2 tbsp of madras curry powder
½ a tsp of chilli powder
2 tbsp of lemon juice
2 tsp of sweetener

1. Place the lentils, carrots, swede, potato, onion, turmeric and salt in a large saucepan, and add enough water to cover it by an inch or so. Bring to the boil and simmer until tender.

2. Add the canned tomatoes and cook for a further 10 minutes. Pass the lentil and vegetable mix through a sieve or use a blender and set aside.

3. Boil the meat in a little water for about 45 minutes until tender (you can do this while the lentils and vegetables are simmering), and set aside.

4. Spray a large saucepan with Fry Light and place over a medium heat, add the spices, and cook for 30 seconds, then add the ginger, garlic, lemon juice and sweetener and stir together. Add the blended lentil and vegetable mixture, and the cooked beef and simmer on a low heat for about 30 minutes. Serve with piles of boiled rice

Scan bran cake

HXB + 6 syns or 11 syns for the whole cake

5 scan bran
2 sachets of cadburys highlights
2 eggs
2 heaped tbsp sweetener
1 tbsp golden syrup

1. Put scan bran in a casserol dish poor over some boiling water to soak them until they are soft

2. With a fork mash it all up mix in all ingredients and cook in a microwave for 6 minutes.

Chicken Jalfrezi

Syns per Serving | Original - Syn Free

Servings | 4

Ingredients

-          675gm (1½ lb) chicken breasts, skinned

-          Fry Light

-          1tsp cumin seeds

-          1 onion, finely chopped

-          1 yellow pepper, seeded and finely chopped

-          1 red pepper, seeded and finely chopped

-          1 garlic clove, crushed

-          2cm ( ¾ inch) piece root ginger, finely chopped

-          1tbsp mild – medium curry powder

-          ¼ tsp chilli powder

-          1tsp ground coriander

-          1tsp ground cumin

-          ½ tsp salt

-          397gm (14oz) can chopped tomatoes

-          2tbsp chopped fresh coriander

-          fresh coriander sprig, to garnish

Method

1. Remove any visible fat from the chicken and cut the meat into 2.5cm (1in) cubes.

2. Heat a wok or heavy-based frying pan sprayed with Fry Light and fry the cumin seeds for 2 minutes until; they splutter. Add the onion, peppers, garlic and ginger and fry for 6-8 minutes.

3. Add the curry powder and fry for about two minutes. Stir in the chill powder, ground coriander, cumin and salt & add 1tbsp water; fry for a further 2 minutes.

4. Add the chicken cubes and fry for about 5 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes and chopped fresh coriander. Cover the wok or frying pan with a lid & cook for about 15 minutes or until the chicken cubes are tender. Garnish with a sprig of fresh coriander and serve.

Syn free gravy

Makes enough for 2 people, very thick like 'real' gravy, syn free on green and EE,

3 tbsp of smash
1 large onion sliced
2 oxo cubes
boiling water
fry light

1. add the onions to a small pan with a few squirts of fry light
2. fry in the pan until soft and slightly brown, add more fry light if needed
3. add the oxo and enough boiling water to cover the onions.
4. add the smash
5. stir for 5-10 minutes until it becomes thick

Chicken Satay

Serves 4

6.5 syns on red & extra easy & green, add 6 syns if not using chicken as healthy extra b on green

454g/1lb skinned, boned chicken breast fillets
½ tsp salt
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tbsps canned coconut milk
½ cucumber, cut into thin strips


for the Satay Sauce
28g/1oz roasted peanuts
½ tsp salt
142ml/¼ pt coconut milk
1 level tsp curry paste
1 level tsp brown sugar
squeeze of lemon juice

1. Cut the chicken into 5cm/2in long strips and put them in a bowl. Sprinkle over the salt, turmeric, coriander and cumin. Add the coconut milk and turn the chicken in this spicy marinade mixture so that it is completely coated. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave in a cool place or the refrigerator for 2 hours to marinate.

2. Make the satay sauce. Pound the peanuts and salt to a paste in a mortar, or grind them in an electric grinder.

3. Put the coconut milk and curry paste in a saucepan and stir over low heat for 3-4 minutes. Add the peanut mixture, sugar and lemon juice, and simmer for 20 minutes, until thickened. Cool.

4. Remove the chicken from the marinade and thread onto wooden or bamboo skewers. Cook on a barbecue or under a preheated grill for 10-12 minutes, turning occasionally and brushing with leftover marinade. Serve with the peanut sauce and strips of cucumber.

Fruit Brulee

Serves: 8
Syns per serving: 1.5 on all syns

Ingredients

4 clementines, peeled and segmented
113g/4oz seedless grapes
1 mango, peeled, stoned and diced
1 tbsp Cointreau
artificial sweetener, to taste
567g/1lb 4oz fat-free natural yogurt
8 level tsp demerara sugar

method

1. Prepare all the fruit and divide it between 8 small ramekin dishes. Sprinkle with the Cointreau and artificial sweetener, if using.
2. Spoon the yogurt (the thicker the better) over the fruits to cover them completely, and level the tops.
3. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the grill until it is very hot.
4. Sprinkle the sugar over the chilled yogurt in each ramekin, and then place under the really hot grill for 1-2 minutes, until the sugar melts and caramelizes. You must watch carefully to ensure that the sugar does not burn. Leave to cool before serving. If wished, pop the brulees back in the refrigerator until you are ready.

Mince Tarts

Serves: 32Syns per serving:
3.5 on all plans 

Ingredients

Fry Light for spraying

For the pastry:
227g/8oz plain flour
pinch of salt
113g/4oz margarine or butter
cold water, for mixing

For the filling:
16 level tbsp mincemeat

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5. Lightly spray some bun trays with Fry Light.

2. Make the pastry. Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Add the fat, cut up into little pieces. Gently rub it in with your fingertips. Add sufficient cold water to mix to a ball that leaves the sides of the bowl clean. Rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

3. Roll out the pastry thinly on a lightly floured surface. Cut out 32 rounds with a 7½cm/3in fluted cutter. Use to line the prepared bun tins.

4. Divide the mincemeat between the pastry cases. Roll out the remaining pastry trimmings and make some little stars witha small star cutter. Use to decorate the tops of the tarts.

5. Bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until the pastry is crisp and lightly coloured. Cool on a wire rack and dust lightly with sifted icing sugar.