Quick chicken curry

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp ghee or oil
• 500 g chicken thighs (1)
• 1 large onion
• 2 tsp ginger paste (2)
• 2 tsp garlic paste (2)
• 1 1/2 tbsp medium curry powder (3)
• 2 tsp paprika (3)
• 1 tsp ground cumin (3)
• 1 tsp ground coriander (3)
• 1 tsp garam masala (3)
• 1 tsp turmeric (3)
• 400 g can chopped tomatoes (4)
• 400 g can coconut milk (5)
• 120 ml chicken stock
• 2 tsp cornflour (optional to thicken)
• 1 tbsp butter (optional)
• coriander / cilantro

Instructions

1. 1

   Fry the chicken - Cut the chicken into similar sized pieces, about 2cm / 1 inch. Melt the ghee, or add the oil to a deep frying pan, skillet or casserole, add the chicken and fry over a medium heat for about 5 minutes until it has some colour.Whilst the chicken is cooking peel and dice the onion. Cooking pan – one that is 22-25cm / 9-10 inch is ideal, non stick helps but is not essential.

2. 2

   Fry the onion - Remove the chicken from the pan, add the onion and fry for a few minutes until it start to get some colour and is fragrant.

3. 3

   Add the spices - Add the garlic and ginger paste, curry powder and spices. Stir and cook for another minute or so.

4. 4

   Add the remaining ingredients - Return the chicken to the pan, add the canned tomatoes and coconut milk. Rinse out the tomato can with the stock and add to the pan. Give everything a good stir.

5. 5

   Cook - Bring to a gentle simmer, cover with the lid ajar, or use a splatter guard to allow the steam to escape and the curry to reduce, whilst not making too much of a mess of your stove top. Let the curry cook for about 20 minutes, stirring from time to time, until it is reduced and thickened.

6. 6

   Season (& thicken) - Taste and check the seasoning and thicken if necessary by mix teaspoonful or two of cornflour/cornstarch in a small bowl with the same volume of sauce from the curry to form a “slurry”, before stirring it back into the curry until it thickens.

7. 7

   Finish & serve - for a restaurant finish stir through a knob of butter before serving. Garnish the curry before serving with some thinly sliced chillis and coriander leaves.