Rahema’s masala fish & chips
E V E RY D AY E A S Y
Serves 4
Ready in about 45 minutes,
plus marinating
2 tbsp Schwartz Lemon & Dill
Fish Seasoning
2 tsp ground cumin
1-2 tsp chilli powder (depending on how
hot you like it), plus a pinch to serve
Juice of 1 lemon, plus wedges to serve
4 skinless and boneless white fish fillets,
defrosted if frozen
1.2kg floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper
or King Edward, peeled and cut into
chunky chips
Low-calorie cooking spray (see cook’s note)
1 cucumber, cut into cubes
200g fat-free natural Greek-style yogurt
400g frozen peas
4 sprigs each of fresh mint and coriander,
leaves finely chopped, reserving some
finely chopped coriander and whole mint
sprigs to serve1 Mix together the
spices, then gradually
add the lemon juice until
you have a paste. Lay the fish fillets
on a plate. Spread the spice paste
over both sides of the fish, then
cover and leave to marinate in the
fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
2 Preheat your oven to 200°C/
fan 180°C/gas 6. Boil the chips for
3-4 minutes, then drain. Spread on
a large, non-stick baking tray and spray
with low-calorie cooking spray. Season and
bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden, turning halfway.
3 Meanwhile, put the cucumber in a sieve, sprinkle with
a pinch of salt and leave to drain for 20 minutes. Squeeze
out any remaining liquid, then mix a third of the cucumber
with the yogurt. Transfer to a serving bowl. Scatter over
the remaining cucumber, followed by a pinch of chilli
powder, and chill until needed.
4 Remove the fish from the fridge. Spray a wide, non-stick
frying pan with low-calorie cooking spray and place over
a medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, fry the fish for
2-3 minutes on each side, or until cooked through, adding
a splash of water if it starts to stick.
5 While the fish is cooking, boil the peas for 2-3 minutes.
Drain, roughly blitz using a stick blender or crush with
a potato masher, then mix in the herbs. Divide the fish,
chips and peas between 4 plates. Dollop over the raita,
scatter over the reserved herbs and serve with the lemon
wedges for squeezing over.Syns per serving: FREECOOK’S NOTE
Some low-calorie cooking sprays contain alcohol as a
preservative. If you’d prefer to avoid any trace of this, always
check the label. Only spray oils containing 1 calorie per spray
or less are Free. For the Syn values of other sprays, check on
the Slimming World members’ websiteI love cooking
up delicious, Food
Optimising meals
to share with my
family and friends –
and this twist on an
all-time favourite
always goes
down a treat!
RAHEMA“
“
If you’re celebrating Ramadan...
FOOD STYLING: SUNIL VIJAYAKAR. PROP STYLING: MORAG FARQUHARFACTOR IN FEASTS
Rahema plans out her
iftar meals so she’s able
to factor in Free Foods
wherever possible.
For special meals she
sometimes has a few
more Syns, carefully
counted and planned
in advance, knowing she
will be Food Optimising
100 per cent the next
day. With this approach
to extra-special events
you’ll keep your weight
loss on track all the way
to your dream target.FILL THE FREEZER
The weeks before
Ramadan are a good
time to batch cook
some of your favourite
Food Optimising dishes
and freeze the extra
portions to keep on
standby. That way you’ll
always have a low Syn
dish ready to serve.
DON’T SKIP SUHOOR
Protein-rich Free Food,
such as lean halal meat
and eggs, will help keep
you feeling full during
the daytime fast ahead,
as will Healthy Extra ‘b’
choices, like oats and
wholemeal bread. Opt
for poached eggs, baked
beans and mushrooms
on two slices wholemeal
toast from a small
400g loaf, or Rahema’s
favourite – porridge
topped with sliced
bananas and berries.IFTAR AT HOME...
There are so many ways
to break your fast in
a Food Optimising
friendly way. Take time
to plan ahead, and
make family and friends
a filling, balanced meal
based around lean cuts
of meat or fish, served
with cooked dried rice,
pasta or couscous
and plenty of Speed
Food vegetables....AND AWAY
If someone else is doing
the cooking, steer away
from fried pakoras,
samosas and spring
rolls, and look for lower
Syn options, such as
tomato-based sauces,
vegetables and grilled
skinless chicken kebabs.
Even better, take a Free
or low Syn dish along
with you to share with
your hosts.80 SLIMMING WORLD MAGAZINE
family time