Sometimes life needs a bit of spice, and dinner is always a good place to start!

Chinese food can be problematic on a diabetic- / ketogenic-diet. This is principally due to the high carbohydrate content of ingredients like rice, soy-sauce, sweet & sour concoctions and all things in-between. That in no way means there are not low-carb dishes out there; simply that they require a little more time & creative thinking.

This recipe is a real winner. It’s incredibly straightforward to make and can be done ahead of time if you so wish.

Start by making your marinade. Blitz two ‘thumbs’ of peeled ginger and 3 cloves of garlic in a food-processor. Measure in half a tablespoon of chilli powder, a spoon-tip full of turmeric, 3.5 tablespoons of white-wine vinegar, one tablespoon of olive-oil, and a really good grind of pepper & salt. Whizz-up until smooth and pour over your chicken. Then rub in. Marinate for minimum half an hour, up to overnight. Then place your drumsticks onto a baking-tray and cook in a hot oven for circa 1 hour, or until browned & crispy.

Using a spiraliser or julienne-peeler (see zoodles), form your peeled butternut squash into noodles. Sauté these in a good quantity of butter and olive-oil until they begin to soften. At this point, add in finely-sliced shallot (or onion), sliced mushrooms, diced chilli, and a handful of chopped coriander. Stir in a teaspoon of ground cumin powder and season well.

Once cooked, take the chicken-pieces out of the oven and arrange over your noodles. Garnish with a squeeze of lime, and a final flourish of chopped herbs. Rush to the table and serve up while still piping-hot.

If you can resist picking them up & eating the drumsticks with your fingers; then you definitely have more willpower than I. Some food is just too good to stand on ceremony!

Thanks for reading and bon ap!

Adam.