INGREDIENTS
Serves 4
- 2½ centimetres piece of fresh ginger (peeled)
- 2 cloves garlic (peeled)
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon dried chilli
- 2 tablespoons ground almonds
- 80ml millilitres water
- 5 cardamom pods (bruised)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 bay leaves
- 4 cloves
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1½ kilograms boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 onions
- 125 millilitres Greek yoghurt
- 125 millilitres chicken stock
- 60 millilitres double cream
- 50 grams golden sultanas
- 2 teaspoon garam masala
- ½ tablespoon caster sugar
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- 50 grams flaked almonds (toasted)
METHOD
- Blend together the ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander and chilli in a food processor, until it forms a paste. Add the ground almonds and water, then blend again, and set aside. If you have one, you can do this with a pestle and mortar
- Heat the oil in a large pan and add the chicken pieces (in batches), and cook them just long enough to seal on both sides, then remove and set aside
- Into the same pan, add the cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, bay leaves and cloves and lightly fry to release the fragrances
- Add in the onion, finely chopped, and cook until softened and lightly browned.
- Pour in the blended paste, and cook everything until it begins to colour. Add the yogurt, a little at a time, stirring it in to make a sauce; then stir in the stock, cream and sultanas
- Put the chicken back into the pan, along with any juices that have collected, and sprinkle over the garam masala, sugar and salt and pepper
- Cover and cook on a gentle heat for 20-30 minutes, testing to make sure the chicken meat is cooked through
- While it cooks, toast the almonds and set aside
- Serve with rice and top with the almonds.
