By Andrew Soddy, Executive Head Chef at L'Horizon Beach Hotel & Spa

Happy New Year, I hope you enjoyed the festivities over the Christmas period. Now it’s time to start your New Year’s resolutions and start the year with a new regime.

Did you indulge too much over Christmas? And now you feel it is time to get healthy! If juicing, carb free and sugar free diets aren’t for you, then I have some healthy meals that don’t require a straw! Winter warmers like stews, soups, casseroles and Risottos are delicious and healthy, making them a perfect choice for the winter season. 

When I worked on the cruise ship we would spend six months visiting all 28 Caribbean islands. Each island had a speciality but when I was in Jamaica I fell in love with the Prawn Curry. I first tasted in Ocho Rios after experiencing the Dunn’s River Falls. To my surprise it was incredibly flavoursome and the level of spice was perfection so your mouth wasn’t on fire, but enough to enjoy an ice cold beer with it. I like to make a prawn and squash curry with fluffy coconut rice.

Why not have a go at home and make your own prawn and squash curry with my recipe below to help you. Don’t forget to share your photos with us on our Facebook or Twitter pages to be in with the chance to win a dinner for two! 

 

For the curry

  • 1 onion, finely diced
  • Vegetable oil
  • 1-2 tbsp Jamaican jerk curry paste
  • 1/4 red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped
  • 150g sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 150g butternut squash, peeled and diced
  • 1/4 tsp ground all spice
  • 400g tin half-fat coconut milk
  • 1/4 tsp ground all spice
  • 100ml vegetable stock
  • 1 tsp thyme leaves
  • 200g raw peeled prawns
  • Coriander leaves to serve

For the rice

  • 300g rice
  • 170ml coconut milk
  • 170ml stock
  • Sprinkle of salt, pepper and sugar for flavouring

 

 

 

 

Method

  1. Fry the onion in vegetable oil for 5 minutes, then add the curry paste, chilli, sweet potato and all spice and fry for another 5 minutes.

  2. Add the coconut milk, stock and thyme, and cook fr 20 minutes until the potato is cooked through.

  3. When the potato & squash is soft, until pink, scatter with corainder and serve with coconut rice.

  4. Wash the rice well under cold running water to remove any excess starch and trasnfer to a saucepan which has a tight-fitting lid.

  5. Mix the coconut milk and stock together and pour in the washed rice.

  6. Cover the saucepan with a lid and bring to the boil on high heat.

  7. Once vigorusly boiling, change to a low heat, cover with the lid and allow to simmer for 10 minutes, or until the water level is the same as the top of the rice.

  8. At this point, turn the heat completely off and allow to rest for a further 10 minutes, keeping the lid on at all times. Use a wooden spoon to fluff up the rice before serving. Add salt, sugar and pepper for flavouring.