Kebabeh degee morgh chicken kebab

SERVES 4

My mother learnt to make this kebab dish when she was a teenager, from a chef who was invited to her family home to cook for a special occasion — to which many guests had been invited. He wouldn’t allow anyone into the kitchen while he prepared the food with some of his juniors alongside, but sensed that my mother was keen to watch and eager to learn. He taught her the importance of choosing the right blend of spices to create balanced and aromatic — but not overpowering — flavours.

250ml (1 cup) sunflower oil 1kg (2 lb 4 oz) chicken thighs and drumsticks, bones in, skin removed

2 ripe tomatoes, puréed in

a blender

1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle

1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds,

crushed in a spice grinder or

mortar and pestle 1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon nigella seeds ½ tablespoon grated fresh

ginger

½ tablespoon grated garlic 2 fresh long red chillies,

thinly sliced

130g (½ cup) plain yoghurt 1 naan flatbread (above right) Fresh long green chilli, halved lengthways, and lime cheeks, to serve

1 Heat the oil in a large wok over high heat. When the oil is hot, carefully place the chicken in the pan and cook, turning occasionally for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

2 Add the tomato to the wok, along with the crushed spices, salt, nigella seeds, ginger, garlic, chilli and yoghurt. Mix to coat the chicken and combine, then reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside when cut, and a thickened sauce has formed.

3 Serve the chicken and sauce over naan flatbread with fresh long green chilli and lime cheeks.