We pair this salad with a tangy passionfruit dressing; a little unusual but a great combination in our opinion.

Weighing your rice and water is the best way to make perfect rice every time. Forget lackadaisical methods involving fingers and knuckles—they are unlikely to produce consistent results. Regardless of the proportions you prefer, the secret is the method rather than the amount. Find your preference based on the rice you buy and record your preferred weights. The best way to experiment is to use the same amount of rice each time, such as 100 g; then vary the weight of water you use to explore variations in texture. Remember to wash the rice and be sure to drain it for an equal duration before each experiment.

Shirataki noodles are made from fatless water-soluble fibre. Gluten-free, zero carbs. They are wonderful noodles for those (like me) who love a good noodle fix but are watching their weight. This dish is actually very light but has both bright and deep flavours. Think umami and sour. Yum. We suggest serving the lime garnish as a wedge and allowing guests to adjust the final sourness level to their own liking. Lots of fresh coriander leaves leaves sprinkled over the top before serving are superb with this dish—be generous and use at least 10 leaves per serve. This dish works fine without the peanuts, so you can leave them out or serve them on the side.

We really shouldn’t call this dish a chili, since we are sure to offend some people. This dish is part of a weight-loss program and it’s nice to have dishes that at least resemble their less calorie friendly cousins.

Tomatoes, ripe, deseeded, roughly chopped · Honey · Salt · Garlic powder · Pepper, black, coarsely ground · Onion powder

Salt · Cumin, ground · Paprika · Garlic powder · Onion powder · Oregano, dried · Pepper, black; ground