My favourite meal this week
I’m a big fan of Thai food, and especially Thai green chicken curry. However, all that coconut milk isn’t always the best option if you’re trying to shed pounds. The cost of exotic ingredients also adds up if you want to save pounds too.
The good news is that one of my favourite recipes is a diet-friendly version of Thai green chicken curry, using low fat coconut milk.
My husband is also keen on this recipe, so I’m willing to shell out for long-lasting specialist ingredients like fish sauce, Thai green curry paste and kaffir lime leaves, knowing they will be used for multiple meals.
I keep the costs lower by looking out for bargain packs of chicken on the reduced shelves, which can be stashed in the freezer to use later. Chicken thighs, breast fillets or chunks from a whole chicken would all be great in this recipe.
So when I saw a yellow-stickered pack of sugar snap peas and baby sweetcorn in the Co-op this week, I snapped it up. I knew I had a tin of low fat coconut milk at the back of the cupboard, so I grabbed a lime and some fresh coriander, ready to make our favourite curry for less.
This is just making me hungry
GREEN THAI CHICKEN CURRY
Quantity serves 2 people. No-one else gets a look in.
Ingredients
Dash of oil (vegetable oil, rapeseed oil or ground nut oil are all fine, or an oil/water spray)
Onion, chopped
2 tablespoons of Thai green curry paste
200ml (half a tin) of reduced-fat coconut milk.
150ml chicken stock
200g to 300g skinless chicken, chopped in chunky cubes
Pack of mangetout and baby sweetcorn, or sugar snap peas and baby sweetcorn.
6 kaffir lime leaves (check the herbs & spices shelves. I use dried leaves, bit like a tube of bay leaves)
1 tablespoon lime juice (half a lime should do it)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar, or low-calorie sweetner if you prefer
4 tablespoons fresh coriander, chopped
180g rice
Method
1. Cook the rice according to the instructions on the packet. Remember to allow extra time if you’re seized by the idea of using healthy brown rice rather than white rice, as it could then need to boil gently for 30 minutes rather than just 10. (Spot the person who forgot this when cooking rice last night)
2. Heat a dash of oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and fry gently for a few minutes until it is softened.
3. Add the green Thai curry paste and fry for a further minute. Give it a stir if it looks like sticking.
4. Add the chunks of chicken, and poke around for a couple of minutes until it turns from pink to white.
5. Stir in the coconut milk and chicken stock, and add the kaffir lime leaves, baby sweetcorn and green veg, whether sugar snap peas, mangetout or green beans.
6. Simmer gently for 15 minutes.
7. Right at the end, stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and most of the coriander.
8. Serve the curry with the rice, a sprinkle of coriander and a decent dose of black pepper.
Top tips
– I left a sprig of coriander intact in the pic above, in an attempt to improve my food photography as posted before. However, I don’t really recommend chowing down on entire leaves.
– If you buy a pack of fresh coriander, wrap anything left in a piece of kitchen towel. It will then keep longer in the fridge before turning into green sludge.
– Try to spot the kaffir lime leaves and remove them at the end.
– Freeze the half a tin of coconut milk left over, to use another day. Alternatively, Thrifty Lesley is a big fan of coconut milk powder, especially when it’s available at rock bottom prices via Approved Food (here’s a post about Approved Food, if you don’t know about it already).
– I used a Sainsbury’s Basics chicken stock cube to make the stock, but this is a great recipe for using any stock you make by boiling up the bones from a whole roast chicken.
– This recipe only uses the juice and not the zest from a half a lime. If you grate the zest off the lime before using it, you can freeze it, and use it to flavour something else. How about a lemon & lime version of lemon drizzle cake?
So over to you – are you keen on Thai food? How do you cut the cost or the calories?
Also, would anyone object if I include an affiliate link to Approved Food in this post?
It means that if you click through to their website and buy something, I might get a commission from the sale at no extra cost to you.
I’m thinking of including links like that to help cover the costs of the blog. What do you reckon? I’ve never mentioned companies I wouldn’t recommend, and don’t intend to start now.
