Last Updated on January 21, 2021 by Fiona Maclean
5-2 Diet Prawn Curry:
Skip Straight to the Diet Prawn Curry RecipeShopping List:
- Raw Prawns (Shrimp)
- Tomato Passata
- Coconut Milk
- Onion
- Chilli
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Mustard Seed
- Cumin
- Tumeric
- Cayenne Pepper
- Lemon Juice
- Fresh Coriander (Cilantro)
- Cooking Oil
It feels like a while since I’ve done any cooking. Partly because I was testing some ready meals suitable for the 5-2 diet (you can read more about them on my most recent post of 5-2 diet tips) and partly because I’ve been out a lot. But this low-calorie diet prawn curry (shrimp curry if you are in the states!) is absolutely perfect for the 5:2 diet, even if you don’t feel too much like cooking.
But, this particular recipe, 5-2 Diet Prawn Curry is a real winner. I’ve adapted it from my favourite Indian Cookery Book, Reza’s Indian Spice – it’s simpler and I’ve taken out most of the fat and reduced the amount of coconut milk. But it’s still wonderful and doesn’t taste at all like a diet recipe. The portion size is quite generous, but I sometimes chose not to make rice for my own supper, instead wilting some spinach and mixing it with some softened onion, cumin and coriander. If I have enough calories, I’ll have a small portion of rice too though
If you are not dieting, or even if you are and have saved enough calories, feel free to serve this with rice.
A delicious low-calorie prawn or shrimp curry suitable for any weight loss diet
- 150 g raw prawns (shrimp) de-veined
- 50 g tomato passata
- 30 ml coconut milk
- 1 small onion peeled and sliced finely
- 1 red chili deseeded and sliced
- 1 piece fresh ginger about 2cm
- 2 cloves garlic finely diced
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 pinch turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 shots 1-cal oil
- 1 handful fresh coriander (cilantro) finely chopped, a few leaves left for garnish
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Mix the prawns with lemon juice and turmeric and leave to marinate while you prepare the sauce.
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Spray a non-stick pan or wok with 1cal oil and gently soften the onion.
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Once it starts to become translucent, add the mustard seed and cumin and heat till popping. Then add the garlic, chilli and ginger. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
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Add in the tomato puree and 2-3 tablespoons of water and reduce the mixture down by about a third so you have a thickish sauce
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Add the coconut milk and heat through.
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Add the prawns with the marinade and the chopped coriander. Bring to a very gentle simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes till the prawns are fully cooked through
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Serve garnished with the reserved coriander leaves
This is a much simplified low-calorie version of a recipe originally from Reza's Indian Spice
Nutritionally, this isn’t quite as healthy as some of the recipes I’ve been making. That’s mostly because of the coconut milk which is high in calories and the prawns which are high in dietary cholesterol.
But, the jury is out on both those issues and I have been reading a lot from some real dietary experts on the value of coconut milk. If you ARE worried and want to reduce the level of cholesterol, you could replace the prawns with a firm white fish like monkfish, or with scallops.
All in, this is a really filling and comforting dish for a 5-2 diet fast day. If you serve my 5-2 diet prawn curry with 75g of cooked white rice you will add around 100 calories, but you probably won’t need all of the prawns!
The spinach side dish I made has negligible calories and is actually a good accompaniment for the main curry.
Now, this is a great dish to have a standby for a fast day when you really don’t feel like cooking too much. It works well with store cupboard ingredients and frozen prawns or shrimps and is ultra quick to make. So why not pin this post for later!
Definitely one to try. Healthy and tasty!!
Would salmon fillets work?
Looks delicious and filling, need to try this
Looks delicious and filling
This sounds perfect for a healthy abstemious day
This recipe looks delicious, can’t wait to try this.
That was the best! I’d have it on a non fast day!
I added loads of cauliflower as well – great recipe.
thanks:) I really enjoyed it too
I had a dream about prawn curry and wondered if I could make it healthier – it was fate to find this on my google reader! Looks delicious, will definitely be trying it out!
you could make it healthier by using 0% yoghurt or quark instead of coconut milk:) but I had enough calories spare:)
Your blog is a Godsend. I have been thinking about trying the 5:2 diet and was thinking how am I ever going to work out what is a 250 calorie meal. Ok, we can all work out a few Ryvitas and low fat cheese but to make appertising looking, substantial meals that will make the whole diet process an delicious adventure is another story. When I stumbled upon your blog with its helpful hints and its wonderfully inspiring recipes I was delighted. I now think I will give it a go and will enjoy making all your amazing looking meals to help me along the way. Thank you.
glad you like the recipes;) I don’t count myself as a recipe developer – but this is what I am eating myself!
I recently made a 5:2 prawn curry and I have made it twice since then, so delicious was it! That looks very nice, and I do love spicy food whilst on my fast day! Karen
thanks karen
you are killing me with these great recipes.. wow.