5 easy family dinners for £25 – Tikka masala, kipper fishcakes, black bean chilli...

Monday: Potato, cauliflower and spinach tikka masala

1 cauliflower
2 tbsp vegetable oil
200g long-grain rice
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red chilli, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp tomato purée
500g jar low-fat tikka masala cooking sauce
567g tin new potatoes, drained, larger ones halved
125g baby spinach
4 tbsp low-fat natural yogurt
10g fresh coriander, leaves picked

1. Preheat the grill to high. Break the cauliflower into bite-sized florets, the stalk into 1cm pieces and the leaves into bite-sized strips. Tip the florets and stalk onto a large baking tray, drizzle with 1 tbsp oil, season and toss well. Grill for 10 mins, then add the cauliflower leaves, toss everything together and grill for 5 mins or until the cauliflower is tender and leaves are crisp.

2. Wash the rice and cook to pack instructions. Drain well.

3. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp oil in a deep frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and fry for 10 mins until golden and tender. Stir in the chilli and garlic, fry for 1 min, then stir in the tomato purée and 50ml water. Pour in the tikka masala sauce, stir in the potatoes and simmer for 5 mins.

4. Stir the spinach and charred cauliflower florets and stalk into the curry, adding a splash more water to loosen if needed. Stir until the spinach wilts, then swirl in the yogurt and scatter over the crispy cauliflower leaves and coriander. Serve with rice.

Wednesday: Kipper fishcakes

4 baking potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
220g pack green beans, trimmed
250g frozen peas
210g pack smoked kippers
250ml semi-skimmed milk
1-2 tbsp plain flour
2 spring onions, finely sliced
20g fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
60g golden breadcrumbs
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
1 garlic clove, sliced
125g baby spinach
1 lemon, ½ zested and juiced, ½ cut into wedges
100g low-fat natural yogurt 

1. Simmer the potatoes in salted water for 10-12 mins until tender. In a separate pan, boil the green beans for 5 mins, adding the peas for the last 1 min; drain. Preheat the oven to gas 7, 220°C, fan 200°C.

2. Meanwhile, set aside the butter from the kippers, then put them skin-side up in a wide pan so they sit snugly in a single layer. Pour over the milk and place over a low heat. When the milk starts to steam and you see a bubble or two, remove from the heat and leave for 5 mins.

3. Drain the potatoes; steam-dry for 1 min in a colander. Mash with the reserved butter and 2 tbsp of the poaching milk. Add the spring onions, 50g of the peas, half the parsley and enough flour to make a stiff, mouldable mixture. Drain the kippers and flake into large pieces, removing any skin and bones, and add ton the mash. Gently mix, then shape into 8 cakes (100g each).

4. Put the breadcrumbs on a plate and press the fishcakes into them to coat. Place on a greased baking tray and drizzle with ½ tbsp oil. Bake for 10-15 mins until crisp.

5. Heat ½ tbsp oil in a frying pan over a medium-low heat and fry the garlic for 2 mins. Toss in the beans, peas and spinach; season with pepper and cook for 1 min until the spinach wilts. Add a squeeze of lemon juice and toss again. Mix the yogurt with the remaining parsley, the lemon zest and remaining juice. Serve the greens and yogurt with the fishcakes and lemon wedges.

Friday: Chicken and black bean chilli

1 tbsp vegetable oil
750g pack chicken thighs
2 onions, finely diced
1 red pepper, sliced
2 tbsp Cajun seasoning
1 red chilli, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tbsp tomato purée
400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 reduced-salt chicken stock cube, made up to 200ml
400g tin black beans, rinsed and drained
200g long-grain rice
4 tbsp low-fat natural yogurt
50g lighter Cheddar, grated
2 spring onions, sliced
10g fresh coriander, roughly chopped

1. Heat the oil in a lidded pan over a medium-high heat. Season the chicken and fry, skin-side down, for 5 mins until crisp. Flip and fry for 2-3 mins more; transfer to a plate.

2. Fry the onions and pepper in the leftover oil for 5 mins, stirring occasionally, then stir in the spice mix, chilli, garlic and tomato purée; cook for 1 min more. Stir in the tomatoes and stock and bring to a simmer. Nestle the chicken back into the sauce with any of its juices. Cover and simmer over a medium- low heat for 20-25 mins until the chicken is cooked through.

3. Meanwhile, wash the rice and cook to pack instructions; drain.

4. Lift the cooked chicken from the pan and remove the skin and bones, shredding the meat with 2 forks. Stir the meat into the sauce with the beans; simmer for 5 mins to thicken. Season with pepper. 

5. Divide the rice between 4 bowls and top with the chilli. Serve with the yogurt, Cheddar, spring onions and coriander.