Prawn and squash curry recipe

A delicious balti curry with juicy pink prawns and soft buttery squash.

If you're trying to be healthier this year, this prawn and squash curry is a great rung on the ladder. Prawns are one of the leanest sources of protein you can find, and this dish is bulked up with butternut squash so it will fill you up and keep you sated for a long time. Butternut squash is also low in calories, but it's packed with important vitamins. A single serving contains more one day's recommended amount of vitamin A - essential for healthy eyes, skin and bones. Plus, this tastes as good as anything you'll find in a takeaway. Pretty good considering a takeaway curry can have up to 1000 calories, whereas this has just 291.

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp balti curry paste
• 1 medium butternut squash, cut into 1.5x4cm chunks
• 400g tin reduced-fat coconut milk
• 400g bag raw peeled prawns, defrosted if frozen
• few sprigs of basil, roughly chopped
• 250g spinach
• basmati rice, to serve

Method

1. Heat a large wok or saucepan, add curry paste and cook for 1 min until fragrant, add squash and coconut milk, bring to the boil, then simmer, covered, for 15 mins until tender. Add remaining ingredients (except rice), stir and cook for 3-4 mins, until prawns are cooked through.
2. Cook rice according to packet instructions and serve with the curry spooned over.

Top tips for making prawn and squash curry

You don't have to use a balti paste here - make it sweeter with a tikka paste, or hotter with a rogan josh.

Serve with a warm naan bread if you prefer. Or, if you're watching you weight, consider brown rice instead of white. It take a little longer to cook, but it contains fewer calories and more fibre so it will keep you feeling fuller for longer.

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