Tandoori is actually a cooking method, not an ingredient. In traditional Indian cuisine, the term describes a marinated meat cooked over an intense fire in a tandoor—a clay oven containing a hot fire. But we now commonly associate it with a type of marinade. Today, you can find tandoori paste in most grocery stores. It has intense flavor (which I love). By mixing it with yogurt, you cut some of the sodium and make a great simple marinade for fish, chicken, and many other meats.

　　

Ingredients

makes 2 servings

　　1 tablespoon jarred tandoori paste (look for it in the international section with Indian curry; if you can’t find tandoori, mild red curry paste is a second choice)

　　2 tablespoons fat-free plain yogurt

　　2 (about 4 ounces each) or 4 (about 2 ounces each) tilapia fillets

　　Olive oil spray

　　1 small lime, cut into wedges

　　

Step 1

In a small bowl, stir the tandoori paste and yogurt until well combined. Brush the fillets evenly on both sides with the mixture.

　　

Step 2

Set a medium nonstick skillet over high heat (if preparing 4 fillets, use a large skillet). When hot, lightly mist it with spray. Add the fish to the pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side, or until it’s no longer translucent and flakes easily. Squeeze the lime wedges over the fillets and serve immediately.

　　

nutrition information

Step 3

Each serving has:

　　

Step 4

Calories: 120

　　

Step 5

Protein: 23g

　　

Step 6

Carbohydrates: 1g

　　

Step 7

Fat: 2g

　　

Step 8

Saturated Fat: <1g

　　

Step 9

Cholesterol: 57mg

　　

Step 10

Fiber: 0g

　　

Step 11

Sodium: 258mg

　　Reprinted with permission from I Can't Believe It's Not Fattening! by Devin Alexander. Copyright © 2010 Devin Alexander. Published by Clarkson Potter Publishers, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.Devin Alexander is the author of The Most Decadent Diet Ever, Fast Food Fix, and coauthor of The New York Times bestsellers The Biggest Loser Cookbook and The Biggest Loser Family Cookbook. She was a chef on NBC's The Biggest Loser and the host of Healthy Decadence on Discover Health and FitTV.