Healthy comfort food recipes

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Cheat's chicken masala

SERVES 4

PREPARATION TIME 10 minutes, plus marinating time

COOKING TIME 45 minutes

PER SERVING 236 calories, 5g fat 300ml

• 0% fat Greek-style yogurt
• 4tsp tikka masala paste (I used Patak's)
• small bunch of fresh coriander
• 1tsp to 3tsp basic curry powder (see below)
• 4 free-range chicken breasts 1 lemon

1. Mix the yogurt, masala paste and half of the coriander, chopped. If you like your curries a bit hotter, add a teaspoon or two of my basic curry powder mix. Spoon 4tbsp of the yogurt mix into a bowl, cover it and keep it in the fridge for later. Slash the surface of the chicken breasts and massage in the remaining yogurt mix. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for as long as possible.
2. Heat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4, transfer the chicken to an ovenproof dish and bake, coated in the yogurt mix for 45 minutes or until done. Make sure they're cooked through by checking that the juices run clear when you pierce them with a skewer.
3. Once cooked, keep the chicken warm while you make the sauce. Dollop the reserved yogurt mixture into a small pan, pour in the juices that have come out of the chicken and a good squeeze of lemon juice. Warm over a gentle heat, mixing the ingredients until they form a smooth sauce, don't let it boil or it may split. If it does, it will still taste fine, but won't look as nice. Serve the chicken with the sauce spooned over it, scattered with coriander leaves and with a wedge of lemon or lime.

Crafty Cook's tips

• Use up leftover yogurt and roast chicken by heating in a pan with the curry spices. Add lemon juice and fresh coriander, and serve.
• Swap the usual double cream with 53% fat for 0% fat yogurt - it also saves you 540 calories.
• You can use other cuts of chicken or lamb, but chicken breast is the leanest. Alternatively, fi sh or prawns are lower-fat options, too.
• Don't be tempted to overdo the curry paste as it can be quite oily. Add my curry powder if you want a bit more oomph.

Basic curry powder

Mix up this powder for quick, easy curries and you'll never need to order a takeaway again. Cooked into a paste with onions, it forms the basis of a range of spicy dishes - just add lean meat, fish or seasonal vegetables.

PREPARATION TIME 5 minutes

• 2tbsp cumin powder
• 2tbsp coriander powder
• 1tbsp ginger powder
• 1tbsp turmeric powder
• 2tsp cayenne pepper

Make a batch and keep in an old jam jar to spice up curries, soups or mix with low-fat mayo to brighten up chicken sandwiches or salads.

1. Mix the spices together thoroughly and store in a jar with an airtight lid. If you're grinding the cumin and coriander from whole spices, measure out a very heaped teaspoon of each of the seeds into a pestle and mortar, and grind before mixing.
2. Use this basic powder mixture as the basis for curries, side dishes or soups. I chop a small onion, cook it gently with a little water then add 2tsp of curry powder, a tin of chopped tomatoes and a tin of chickpeas. Simmer for a few minutes then stir in a big handful of spinach and season. I often serve this instead of rice, but it can make an excellent veggie option in its own right if you swap the chickpeas for a mixture of seasonal vegetables and add a little vegetable stock.  

Crafty Cook's tip

• Make a quick veggie curry by cooking an onion with my curry powder, squash, aubergine and carrots.

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