Spicy Citrus Prawns

Prawns, spicy tomato and lime zest make a delicious combination served over warm pasta.

This dish is a great midweek (or after pub!) meal as it can be on the table in no time and is really easy to make, once you have everything chopped and ready to go.

Timing wise, get the pasta on and after 2-3 minutes or so, get the sauce going.

The following recipe makes makes two portions.

Ingredients

For the pasta
• 2 pints of boiling water
• 1 vegetable or chicken stock cube. Crumbled.

• ½ teaspoon salt (Or better still low sodium salt)

• 120g whole wheat spaghetti or linguini
• 1 green pepper. Finely chopped (Yes it is going in with the pasta!)

Ingredients

For the sauce

• 4 sprays of Fry Light One Cal spray

• 2 medium cloves of garlic. Peeled and finely chopped

• 1 lime. Zest only

• ½ teaspoon of chili flakes

• 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes

• 2 sweeteners

• 1 teaspoon of tomato puree

• 200ml boiling water 

• Half a chicken stock cube. Crumbled

• 2 x 300g packs of cooked prawns. Fresh or frozen (thoroughly defrosted)

• A good twist of black pepper

• Small bunch of coriander for garnish. Finely chopped

Method

1. Add 2 pints of boiling water to a large sauce pan and bring back to the boil over a high heat.
2. When the water is bubbling, add the stock cube and salt and stir to make sure it's fully dissolved.
3. Add the pasta and stir to ensure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Bring the pot back to the boil again. Then reduce the heat to medium.
4. Meanwhile, to make the sauce heat a medium pan over a high heat and when hot, add the 4 sprays of oil.
5. Add the chopped garlic, lime zest and chili fakes and keep stirring for a minute or so.
6. Add the chopped tomatoes, sweeteners, puree, boiling water and stock cube to the pan and stir letting the sauce boil and reduce slightly.
7. When the pasta has been bubbling for 8 minutes or so, add the peppers and stir. Let the  pasta continue to cook for another 5-6 minutes or so.
8. Stir the sauce again to make sure it's not sticking to the bottom of the pan. (If it's bubbling like mad, reduce the temperature to medium).
9. Drain the pasta and pepper into a colander and shake to remove excess water.
10. Add the prawns to the tomato sauce and stir. Take the pan off the heat. The prawns only need to heat through for a minute or two, so add them at the last minute.
11. Divide the pasta into two bowls, add the sauce and garnish with the twist of pepper and chopped coriander.