Alaskan Pollock and Prawn Biryani

Now that the colder weather has returned and the evenings are closing in I fancy something a little more warming and spicy to eat. In the past I would often turn to the Indian Takeaway menu, especially when time was short.
This time I turned to my freezer and storecupboard and made a most flavoursome biriyani dish with frozen pollock, frozen prawns, frozen rice and, yes you’ve guessed it, frozen peas. I also used ready-made Balti curry paste and the dish was ready faster than the order and delivery of a takeway from the past. And, it’s certainly healthier with a whopping 28.5 g protein in each full-size, normal portion.

Alaskan Pollock and Prawn Biryani

Ingredients

Fry Light low-fat cooking spray
1 onion, chopped
2 tbsp Balti curry paste
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
400g pack frozen pollock, cut into bite-sized pieces
100g frozen peeled prawns
600g frozen long-grain rice
100g frozen peas or petits pois
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander (optional)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Spray a large frying pan with Fry Light. Add the onion and cook gently until softened, about 3 minutes.
2. Stir in the curry paste and cumin seeds and cook for a few seconds.
3. Add the chunks of frozen pollock and the prawns, stirring them into the mixture. Cook over a medium-low heat, stirring often, for 4-5 minutes. Add a splash of water if needed.
4. Add the rice with the peas and coriander, if used. Season to taste with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for about 6-8 minutes or until the rice is piping hot and the fish is cooked – the flesh will be opaque and should flake easily. Serve at once in warmed bowls.
NOTE: If you prefer to use freshly-cooked rice then cook 200g for 12 minutes in lightly salted water. Drain, add to the fish mixture but reduce the cooking time to 3-4 minutes,

SERVES 4
WLS PORTION: 1/2

CALORIES: 375
PROTEIN: 28.5g
CARBOHYDRATE: 49.3g
FAT: 6.4g

Image courtesy of The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute