Recipes From The Wee Fat Lawyer’s Diet Book – Part 2

Now please don't write in to complain about the selection for today's combo. Yes, I know that everyone can make a stir fry.  But what I'm looking to illustrate is a way you can take a dish you have made many times, and reduce its calorie count by upping the ratio of veg to protein. For the stir fry itself, I bought a pack of chicken thighs of about 300g. In olden days, that would have done for two. By increasing the amount of veg, I make a filling meal for four, thus dramatically reducing the calorie count per portion.

And you may not have sampled the delights of cauliflower rice, so you might learn something new after all. Oh, and marinading the chicken makes a real difference. A Chinese pal taught me that 40 years ago.

Chicken Stir Fry

Why does this appear in The Wee Fat Lawyer's Diet Book? A lot of reasons, actually. Stir fried veg with some meat are very healthy whichever way they are done. But if you're watching the pounds, consider a few points.

The amount of oil

This should be negligible anyway. The wok must be as hot as you can get it  and, at the frying stage, the food must be kept on the move all the time. If you pour some oil in, get it really hot. You'll then realise you have too much and can pour a bit off. Alternatively use the wee skooshy aerosols - one calorie per squirt.

What do you use for sauce?

For many years before I knew better I used to rely on those jars you can get in supermarkets. I no longer do, but looking at My Fitness Pal, some of their calorie counts are pretty high. They will add flavour, but perhaps at a cost. You can get small sachets, which have a flavour hit with fewer calories, but I have no idea what the E numbers are all about. Why not have a little chicken stock for lubrication, and rely on your marinade and your old stir fry pals of garlic, ginger and soy for flavour?

What do you serve it with?

Tricky. Looking at readings for noodles, I see 100g of different brands coming in at anything between 91 and 472. 100g of boiled rice may be as little as 130, but be awfully careful if you even think about frying it. The figures can go stratospheric. Which is why the unbelievably low calorie cauliflower rice is a godsend.

Version 1 - Pre Diet

Ingredients (serves 2) Served with Boiled Rice (100g per person) 584 calories per portion

300g chicken thighs, excess fat trimmed off and cut into thin strips; 1 onion, cut lengthwise into thin strips; 2 peppers (any colour except green), deseeded and cut into thin strips; 1 red chilli, deseeded and very finely chopped; 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed; thumb size piece of ginger, peeled and grated; small jar of some proprietary sauce, black bean, sweet and sour or whatever; dark and light soy sauce; tiny amount of vegetable oil.

For the marinade, 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed; about 75ml rice wine or dry sherry.

Version 2 - Low Calorie

You'll note that the key ingredients are the same, but by bulking it up with more vegetables you can get four servings. Add stock instead of a made up sauce, have cauliflower rice as your rice/noodles substitute and you half the calories per serving.

Ingredients (serves 4) Served with Cauliflower Rice (100g per person - see below) 252 calories per portion

300g chicken thighs, excess fat trimmed off and cut into thin strips; 1 onion, cut lengthwise into thin strips; 2 peppers (any colour except green), deseeded and cut into thin strips; 1 carrot, peeled and julienned; 1 stick of celery, peeled and julienned; 1 courgette, cut into thin batons; 1 red chilli, deseeded and very finely chopped; 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed; thumb size piece of ginger, peeled and grated; 100 ml of chicken stock; dark and light soy sauce; tiny amount of vegetable oil.

For the marinade, 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed; about 75ml rice wine or dry sherry.

*************************************************

Whichever version you make, the technique is the same. Try to cut all your veg to the same thickness so they cook evenly. As always with a Chinese style dish you want the veg to have a bit of crunch.

Mix the chicken with the rice wine or sherry and garlic and leave for a couple of hours.

When you are ready to start have all your ingredients, flavourings and plates to hand. Once you begin, a proper stir fry needs all your attention. Heat your wok to maximum and add a little oil. Once the oil is hot, pour off any surplus. You really just want the thinnest film. Add the veg, and get busy. The food must never be static. If you watch Chinese chefs, they shake the pan with one hand and stir constantly with the other. (Well, to be pedantic, with a utensil held in the other, but you knew what I meant.) Add soy sauce to taste - light for salt, dark for umami. After a couple of minutes, clear a space in the wok to add the chicken and the marinade. If possible you want to get a little colour on the chicken. Then carry on stirring everything together. Add the chicken stock a little at a time and reduce the heat slightly. You are looking to create a sauce without the dish being swimming. The stir fry is ready when the chicken is cooked through. Check the seasoning and adjust with more soy if you like.

Cauliflower Rice (serves 2) - About 25 calories per portion

I know that for quite a few of you, getting rid of, or cutting down on, carbohydrates is your preferred way forward. There are as many variations on this as your imagination will allow.

Ingredients

200g cauliflower, cut into large florets; 1 tsp cumin seeds; about 100ml chicken or vegetable stock; large bunch of freshly chopped coriander; salt and pepper.

*************************************************

Blitz the cauliflower in a food processor until it is the consistency of large couscous. Don't over do it. In a frying pan, toast the cumin seeds for a couple of minutes over a medium heat. They should be releasing their aroma. Add the cauliflower and just enough hot stock to  cover it. Simmer for a few minutes until the cauliflower is tender, adding a little more stock if needed. You want the final dish to have the consistency of cooked rice.

When the cauliflower is cooked, bubble fiercely to get rid of any surplus liquid, stirring all the while. Season with salt and pepper, stir in the chopped coriander, mix well and serve immediately.