Warm & soothing curry

OLD DHELI CHICKEN (SERVES 4)

INGREDIENTS

8 boneless, skinless, free-range chicken thighs, cut into 2.5cm pieces; a handful of micro coriander cress; 1 thumb-size piece of fresh ginger root, very finely sliced into strips

For the marinade: 300g Greek yoghurt; 3tbsp mustard oil; 2tbsp ginger & garlic paste (see below); 1tbsp ground turmeric; 1tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder; 2tsp sea salt

For the sauce: 2tbsp vegetable oil; 4 green cardamom pods; 2 black cardamom pods; 4 cloves; 2 fresh Indian bay leaves; 4tbsp ginger

& garlic paste; 2tbsp red Kashmiri red chilli powder; 2 green chillies, split down the middle; 1kg plum tomatoes, puréed; 200ml double cream, plus extra to serve; 250g unsalted butter; 1tbsp garam masala; a handful of dried fenugreek leaves; caster sugar, to taste; sea salt, to taste; 6tbsp mustard oil

For the ginger and garlic paste (Makes 1kg): 500g fresh ginger root, peeled and roughly chopped; 500g garlic cloves, peeled; 100-200ml vegetable oil

METHOD

1. Make the ginger and garlic paste. Blitz the ginger and garlic in a blender, gradually adding enough oil to make a smooth paste. Store in a sterilised jar in the fridge (will keep for two weeks).

2. Make the marinade. Hang the yoghurt by turning it out of its packaging into a muslin (cheesecloth), tie the ends and hang it over a dish for one hour. Ensure the yoghurt isn’t stirred or disturbed, or you will lose it through the muslin. Put the yoghurt in a bowl and add the marinade ingredients and stir together. 3. Add the chicken to the bowl and coat in the marinade. Cover and leave in the fridge for 12 hours, or overnight.

4. When ready to make the sauce, heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat, add the whole spices and allow them to infuse in the oil for 30 seconds or so before adding the ginger and garlic paste, chilli powder and green chillies. Cook for a couple of minutes, turn the heat down to medium-low, add the tomatoes, then cover and cook until the sauce has reduced by a third and the oil has separated from the tomatoes (about 30 mins).

5. Remove the whole spices, then add the cream, butter, garam masala and fenugreek leaves. Season to taste with sugar and salt. Let it simmer as you cook the chicken.

6. Sear the marinated thighs in a hot pan for about 15 minutes until just cooked through, then add them to the sauce. Mix and adjust the seasoning, if required.

7. Just before serving, drizzle with cream and top with fresh coriander and ginger.