Ingredients: Chicken

800g boneless and skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-sized pieces

Ingredients: Marinade

120g Greek yogurt

thumb-sized piece ginger, grated

4-5 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 lemon, juiced

3 tsp mild chilli powder

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp garam masala

½ tsp turmeric

Ingredients: Sauce

1kg ripe vine or plum tomatoes

thumb-sized piece ginger, peeled, half grated and half finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, crushed

4 green cardamom pods

2 cloves

1 bay leaf<

1-2 tsp chilli powder

80g butter, diced

2 green chillies, cut lengthways

75ml single cream, plus a drizzle to serve

5-6 dried fenugreek leaves, crushed between your fingers (optional)

1 tsp garam masala

1 tbsp sugar

Ingredients: Spiced butter

3 tbsp ghee (see below) or butter

2 tsp black mustard seeds

1 dried whole Kashmiri chilli

6-8 dried curry leaves

Instructions: Marinade

Mix all of the marinade ingredients together in a large mixing bowl with 1½ tsp salt.

Add the chicken pieces and mix together until well-coated, then cover the bowl and chill for 1 hr or overnight in the fridge.

Instructions: Chicken

Heat the oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 9.

Transfer the chicken pieces to a large baking tray (discard any remaining marinade), and cook for 10-15 mins.

Turn the pieces after 10 mins so they colour evenly on both sides.

Instructions: Sauce

Slice the tomatoes in half and put in a large pan in a single layer with 125ml water, the grated ginger, garlic, cardamom, cloves and bay leaf.

Simmer, covered, until the tomatoes have completely disintegrated, about 20-25 mins.

Remove the whole spices and blend the tomato mixture with a stick blender, then pass it through a sieve to make a smooth purée.

Return to a clean pan, add the chilli powder and simmer for 12-15 mins.

It should slowly begin to thicken

When the sauce turns glossy, add the chicken pieces and any of the reserved roasting juices from the tray.

Slowly stir in the butter, a couple of pieces at a time, and simmer for 6-8 mins until the chicken is cooked through.

Add the chopped ginger, green chillies and cream, then simmer for a min or two longer, taking care that the sauce doesn’t split.

Stir in 1 tsp salt, fenugreek leaves, if using, and the garam masala, then check the seasoning, adjust if necessary, then add the sugar.

In a separate pan, warm all the ingredients for the spiced butter, if using, until the seeds start to pop.

Spoon over the curry, scatter with the coriander, onion, chilli, and a drizzle more cream, if using.

Serve with naan, pilau rice and chutney.

Time

Total : 170 minutes

Prep : 50 minutes

Cook : 60 minutes

Resting time : 0 minutes

Servings : 6 servings