Last Updated on December 7, 2018 by Fiona Maclean
Coriander and Ginger Cauliflower Rice with Garlic Chilli Prawns recipe for 5:2 Diet Fast Day:
There are certain 5:2 diet recipes that are doing the rounds at the moment. We all try to find ways to enjoy our 5:2 diet fast day meals. Some of the ideas I’ve seen around include all sorts of things with Shirataki noodles, a pizza substitute made with a Warburtons flat bread that has been nicknamed the Wizza, courgette ‘spagetti and tagliatelli’, cauliflower rice and a cauliflower crust pizza. I’ve tried and like the shirataki noodles, though they seem to be something of an acquired taste. And I love courgette tagliatelli or courgetti. I’ve been curious about the cauliflower rice for a while now, ever since I saw a version on Jac’s blog. But, grating all that cauliflower? Although I have a food processor it’s a bit of an effort to get it out for one meal and I more generally use my stick blender. So, it was the arrival of my ‘Slica’ that prompted this particular experiment.
The trick with cauliflower rice is to find some complementary seasoning. Jac’s 5:2 diet recipe is a lovely concoction of spices. But I wanted to be able to eat my 5:2 day ration of prawns with the rice and so I decided to create the kind of savory rice I might normally enjoy with an Asian meal. Only using cauliflower instead of real rice, seasoned with ginger, garlic and coriander (cilantro if you are in the USA). It is remarkably low in calories and my very large portion last night actually made me feel very full. In fact I believe ‘cauliflower rice’ originated with the paleo diet, where people avoid eating refined foods of any sort (e.g. white rice or flour). Paleo followers use coconut oil rather than any other kind, and, had I any coconut oil in the larder, I might have tried using that instead of the sunflower oil in my recipe. I’ve also been told by some others following the 5:2 diet that you can make cauliflower rice in the microwave – just by seasoning and then zapping the cauliflower for a minute or two and that it works equally well if you dry fry it (which would save another 40 calories!). But by the time I’d posted my own version, obviously I’d already cooked it!
- 1 handful Fresh Coriander Finely Chopped
- 1 clove Garlic Finely Chopped
- 1 Spring onion Sliced
- 1 teaspoon Oil Sunflower
- 100 g Prawns Raw, shelled and deveined
- 1 Red Chilli De-seeded and finely chopped
- 1 clove Garlic Finely chopped
- 1/2 Lime Zested and juiced
- 2-3 shots 1 cal Oil
- 150 g Cauliflower Grated (in a food processor or using a hand grater)
- 5 g Fresh Ginger Finely Chopped
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Take two frying pans - one for the rice and a smaller one for the prawns.
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Heat the oil for the rice in the larger pan and add the garlic and ginger. Cook for 2-3 minutes
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Meanwhile, spray the smaller pan with 1cal and then start to soften the garlic and chilli
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Stir the cauliflower into the larger pan and heat through for 3-4 minutes, turning constantly. Then add in the lime juice and zest and the coriander and spring onion. Season well with salt and pepper and put to one side
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Add the prawns to the garlic and chilli in the second pan and cook over a high heat till opaque and slightly charred. Be careful not to over cook.
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Serve the prawns and their garlic/chilli dressing on top of the cauliflower rice, with more fresh lime juice if required.
I promise this cauliflower rice tasted as good as it looks – and I will be making it again. Once you’ve added spices or herbs, the cauliflower flavour is quite subtle. I rather like the idea of a cauliflower and almond pilaff because the texture is quite nutty and I think the flavours would complement each other very well.
This particular version with the prawns and WITH oil to fry the cauliflower is a little over 200 calories for a very generous portion
Definitely worth trying yourself for a 5:2 diet fast day or even if you are on any other kind of low-calorie or low carbohydrate diet – and the fun thing is that you can experiment with the seasoning you use with your ‘rice’ to make it your own. I spotted someone saying they’d added a bit of egg to make ‘egg fried’ rice – delish!
Why not pin this recipe for later…
I made this with baby squid and courgettes and it tasted very good! I just used one pan, fried the squid with 1/2 tsp olive oil, ginger, garlic and chillies, then took them out and added the courgettes, cooked them until they were soft and then added 1/2 tsp olive oil and cooked the cauliflower. Whoever came up with the word ‘rice’ didn’t fool me or my stomach, but with the entire meal coming to only 207 cals. its well worth doing on a 5:2 diet day and I did feel satisfied. I would love to win slica, but I think I’m a year too late!!
Yep I love it, just made it again for my husband who just walked in, has already eaten but I just had to make it for someone else as it would soooo good, have to share. Want to take it for everyone at work for lunch too. Made it with cooked prawns as raw so expensive here in Finland! Just about to make the celeriac and spinach soup now, ready for my 5.2 day on Thursday. Just started this diet, first time ever in my life counting calories. Easy when food is this tasty, thank you for sharing the recipes 🙂
I’m eating this as I type, absolutely scrumptious. Highly recommend it.
Ahhh so glad you enjoyed! Sometimes I am not quite sure how well a recipe translates into print and it’s always reassuring when someone DOES try and lets me know!!! (I don’t even mind being told I’ve made a mistake!)
Yep I love it, just made it again for my husband who just walked in, has already eaten but I just had to make it for someone else as it would soooo good, have to share. Want to take it for everyone at work for lunch too. Made it with cooked prawns as raw so expensive here in Finland! Just about to make the celeriac and spinach soup now, ready for my 5.2 day on Thursday. Just started this diet, first time ever in my life counting calories. Easy when food is this tasty, thank you for sharing the recipes 🙂
This looks gorgeous
Just mouthwatering….looks delicious!
This sounds delicious! So quick to cook aswell, just what us working mum’ need. Love ginger, garlic and corriander, can’t get enough of it 😀
ohhhh this sounds divine
YUMMY.. that looks so easy. I would not have thought about cauliflower ground up or chopped finely but that sounds awesome
I’ve been curious about cauliflower rice, too…and it looks magnificent with prawns! I’m certain I’d love it!
This looks great. I have bookmarked it as well. I look forward to the chance to try this Fiona.
it’s a very simple way to cut the calories, I’ve heard people suggest using the cauli rice for ‘egg fried rice’ which I would imagine is fabulous
Bookmarked! Been meaning to try Cauliflower ‘Rice’ ever since it started doing the rounds on Twitter and yours sounds delish with the prawns and chilli. Now to start the 5:2 diet, have the best of intentions to get into it one day very soon! Louisa
Thanks Louise. You know I think it’s about ‘seasoning’ in a way that works for you. I rather like Jac’s version too with the spices so I shall be doing that next
This is my style. I will cut the prawns and it will be even lower calorie…YUM!!
Jac’s recipe (linked above) is a spicy veggie one! It looks lovely too…