Seafood

Red fish curry with pumpkin

Servings: 4 people
Carbohydrate Serves: 2 per person
(1 carbohydrate serve = 15 grams of total carbohydrate)

This is one small step for man but one giant leap for gestational diabetes cooking. We’ve cooked up a GDM-friendly curry using evaporated skim milk and a dash of coconut essence instead of light coconut milk. This results in a massive 38g/ 1.4 ounces less fat! Although the 48g/ 1.7 ounces of carbs in the can of evaporated skim milk still needs to be counted, reducing the fat is a much healthier option. Too much fat in your diet can increase weight gain and makes it harder for your insulin to work properly. (Main carbohydrate containing ingredients are listed in bold.)

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon light olive oil
  • 1 brown onion, cut into thin wedges
  • 1 tablespoon, finely grated ginger
  • 1 tablespoon red curry paste (ready-made from supermarket)
  • 1 x 375ml/ 13 ounce can evaporated skim milk
  • 1 tablespoon coconut essence
  • 2 cups cooked diced pumpkin
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 500g/ 1 pound of white fish, cut into 3cm/ 1.2″ cubes
  • 200g/ ½ pound of green beans, trimmed, cut into 3cm/ 1.2″ pieces
  • 8 yellow squash, quartered
  • 1 lime, finely zested and juiced
  • 2 cups cooked Doongara rice
  • Fresh coriander to serve

Cooking tip: You do not want to let your curry boil or bubble at any time once you’ve added the evaporated milk otherwise the milk will separate and go gluggy. Don’t get any hotter than a gentle simmer at any time. In this way your meat will also come out poached and tender. And pre-cooking your pumpkin before adding it to the curry means you won’t need to turn up the heat.

Cook rice according to packet directions.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook onion and ginger for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Add curry paste and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Reduce heat to very low and stir in evaporated skim milk, coconut essence, fish sauce and fish. Simmer on very low heat for 5 minutes or until fish is almost cooked.

Now add pumpkin, green beans and squash. Cover and continue to cook on very low heat for another 5 minutes until squash and beans are no longer completely raw.

Before serving, stir lime rind and lime juice into curry. Serve curry on rice and top with coriander.

Note: To remain within the carb allowance only serve only 1/2 cup of rice per person.

  • Lea says:

    Yum! I’m making this for dinner tonight. I love the low fat alternative.

  • Brady says:

    I made this on Friday night…. OMG AMAZING!!!!!!!!! it was so good we had it for Saturday nights dinner :)

  • Lisa says:

    Hi Laura. Thanks for your comment. Yes, I think it’s most probably a reaction but more likely from the lime juice. Did you include that at the last stage? It is a delicate recipe, as there is also the possibility of the milk separating if it’s heated about a very gentle simmer. I was intent on creating a GDM friendly curry (as I really missed that when I had GDM) but it’s true that there is no substitute for simple coconut milk is there? Lisa x

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About

I’m Lisa Taylor, the mum behind GDRecipes. I created this site after having GDM myself & because I love food. I’d like to inspire, motivate & support you to cook & eat well during your pregnancy with GDM & beyond. Come read my story. My kitchen is your kitchen. ... Read more

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