Serves 4
Contains nuts
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6 skinless and boneless
chicken thighs
2 red onions
3 cloves of garlic
1 red chilli (or more if you prefer)
2 large tomatoes
3 cardamom pods
2 tbsp groundnut or rapeseed oil
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp soft light brown sugar
A good pinch of sea salt
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
5 tbsp ground almonds
1 tsp garam masala
A small bunch of coriander
Begin by cutting the chicken thighs widthways into slices about 1cm/½in thick. Halve the onions, slicing them into thin half-moons, crush the garlic and slice the chilli (or chillies) into fine rounds, keeping the seeds. Cut the tomatoes into quarters and crush the cardamom pods with the flat side of a knife.
Heat the groundnut or rapeseed oil in a heavy-based saucepan, add the onions and sauté gently over a medium heat for 5–6 minutes or until soft but not browned. Stir in the chilli powder, cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, ginger, sugar, crushed cardamom pods and salt. Cook the spices for a minute or two or until fragrant, then add the tomato purée, garlic and fresh chilli, and continue to sauté for a further 2–3 minutes.
Add the chicken and mix in thoroughly so that all the pieces are coated in the spice mixture. Pour over the chopped tomatoes, along with 150ml/5fl oz water, and add the tomato quarters. Cover with a lid, then bring to the boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken is tender.
Once the curry is cooked, stir in the ground almonds and garam masala and simmer gently, uncovered, for about 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Finely chop the coriander, sprinkle over the top of the rogan josh and serve with steamed white basmati rice.
Lemon and Cashew Nut Rice
This mildly spiced rice is ideal for serving alongside any of the curries in this book. Indeed, it provides a fresh and zesty accompaniment to any Indian meal.
Serves 4
Contains nuts
—
50g/1¾oz unsalted
cashew nuts
½ tbsp groundnut or rapeseed oil 175g/6oz white basmati rice
½ tsp turmeric
A bunch of coriander
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a heavy-based frying pan, dry-fry the cashew nuts over a medium–high heat for 3–4 minutes or until golden, shaking the pan regularly to ensure they don’t burn. Remove from the heat, season with salt and set aside to cool.
Pour the groundnut or rapeseed oil into a large saucepan and place over a medium heat. Add the rice and turmeric and gently fry for 1 minute, stirring continuously. Pour over 500ml/18fl oz water, cover with a lid and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and leave the rice to simmer for 10–15 minutes or until all of the water has been absorbed and the rice is fluffy.
Remove from the heat and leave to stand for a minute or two before fluffing up with a fork. Finely chop the coriander and stir into the rice with the toasted cashews, lemon juice and zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste and then serve.
Roasted Redcurrant Chicken with Garlic and Rosemary New Potatoes
If I were to be scrupulously honest, I would say that this is really a cheat’s version of a Sunday roast, with all of the flavour but half the work. It really is none the worse for it, however, and can transform a springtime supper or lunch into a time-saving delight for the senses. One of the beauties of this dish is that you cook it all together, not only bypassing the faff of having a numbers of pots and pans on the go, but also allowing the flavours of the dish to mesh in a beautifully fragrant way. Once the chicken is in the oven, you could lightly dress a fresh herb and baby-leaf salad to accompany it while sipping from a glass of something lovely – the perfect way to cook.
Serves 4
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5 cloves of garlic
A small bunch of flat-leaf parsley
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp redcurrant jelly
Grated zest of 1 lemon and 2 tbsp lemon juice
4 skinless chicken breasts
450g/1lb new potatoes
4 sprigs of rosemary
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Crush just two of the cloves of garlic and finely chop the parsley, then add to a large bowl, mixing them with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the redcurrant jelly and lemon zest and juice.
Using a sharp knife and cutting to a depth of about 1cm/½in, score each chicken breast diagonally 3–4 times. Place the chicken in the bowl with the marinade, turning each breast in the mixture to ensure it is thoroughly coated and the marinade penetrates the cuts in the meat. Season well with salt and pepper, then cover the bowl and leave for a minimum of 30 minutes to absorb the flavours.
Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7.
Halve the potatoes and place in a large roasting tin with the remaining olive oil, whole garlic cloves and the sprigs of rosemary. Season well with salt and pepper and roast in the oven for 20–25 minutes.
Remove the potatoes from the oven and reduce the temperature to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Place the chicken breasts in the roasting tin so that they are resting on top of the potatoes. Pour over the remaining marinade and return to the oven for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and tender. Remove from the oven, cover with foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Spring Chicken with Lemon and Herbs and Roasted Sweet Potatoes
This is a beautiful spring dish, simple to make but packed full of flavour. I like to serve it with a large salad of fresh lettuce leaves: red oak, rocket, cos and radicchio are all perfect. Equally, a pea and green bean salad would make a great accompaniment.
Serves 4
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1 x 1.6kg/3½lb chicken
1kg/2lb 3oz sweet potatoes
3 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the herb rub
3 cloves of garlic
A small bunch of flat-leaf parsley
A small bunch of marjoram
Leaves from 4 sprigs of thyme
2 tbsp dairy-free margarine (ideally Pure Sunflower Spread)
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon (reserving the juiced halves) and finely chopped peel