I’ve been feeling a bit bloated recently; well, more than just bloated. I feel like a hippo. A hippo with cute reddish hair (hair dye is my new addiction), but still very hippo-esque. So, to try and combat this I’ve decided to eat a bit more healthily (I refuse to consider this dieting), and to that end I’ve unearthed a copy of Fat Girl Slim by Ruth Watson. I figure that it’ll be easier to master healthy eating if the food is yummy and similar to what I normally eat…

This pilaf recipe looked rather yummy, so I thought I would kick off my new healthy eating career with it. Ruth says that the pilaf is the star of the show, and I’d have to agree. The lamb chops were very nice, but way too fiddly for me. Next time I’d either use lamb steaks or just not bother with any meat (well, I’d do some for Dave…). The pilaf was so yummy!! The spices really shone through, and the garlic was really soft and sweet. The spinach was very yummy too. It was a very healthy portion too, which was fab! If Ruth Watson dined like this every day and managed to lose 4 stone, then I’m sure I’ll be as skinny as a twig before long…

NB. If you don’t want to reek of garlic the next day, then I’d advise blanching the garlic for 2 minutes rather than the usual one. That should help matters…

Lamb chops & garlic and spinach pilaf - Fat Girl Slim, Ruth Watson

Serves 2

1 tbsp olive oil, plus a smidgen
1 tsp each of ground cumin and ground coriander
a pinch of hot chilli powder
225g basmati rice, rinsed thoroughly
450ml chicken or vegetable stock
1 whole head of garlic, separated into cloves, blanched and peeled
1 bay leaf (fresh or dried)
3 medium tomatoes, deseeded and roughly chopped
225g baby spinach, rinsed and picked over
a handful of parsley leaves, chopped
4-6 lamb loin chops, depending upon greed

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large, wide saucepan over a low-medium flame. When it is hot add the spices and cook for one minute, stirring constantly, then add the rice. Pour in the stock, stir and add the garlic, tomato, bay leaf and some seasoning. Cover the pan, raise the heat and bring to a boil. Stir, then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 13-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat a large wok or frying pan over a medium flame, then pile in the still-damp spinach and some salt. Cook until the leaves begin to wilt, tossing continuously with tongs or salad servers.

When the rice is just tender and looks pretty dry, stir in the spinach and parsley. Remove pan from heat and place a folded tea towel under the lid. Leave the pilaf to rest for 10 minutes in a warm place, then fluff up with a fork just before serving.

Meanwhile, heat a griddle over a medium-high heat. Oil the lamb chops very skimpily and season on both sides. When the griddle is smoking hot, put in the chops and leave them undisturbed for 3 minutes. Turn the chops over, and turn the heat down a little. Leave to cook for a further 4-8 minutes depending on how thick the chops are and how pink you like the meat.