Diwali Dish! Chicken Hara Masala

Spice level: (Keep Kalm & Korma on, Kinda Krazy, KAAHHMAGAD)

Feeds: 4

Don’t be alarmed; this curry is not radioactive, its vibrant green colouring comes from the marinade: a zingy and refreshing blend of coriander, green chilli and mint that (if you leave for the designated 30 mins – or 1hr if you’re feeling patient) infuses into the chicken thighs (and tastes sensational). I made it for my Diwali party, and it was quite the statement dish.

I like using a mixture of butter and oil (not just oil, as Sanjeev suggests). However, you won’t catch me buying ghee; in my opinion, there’s nothing wrong with using butter and ghee is a) more expensive and b) a lot more unhealthy. So, while I’m sure it would definitely give my curries that restaurant taste I often crave, I’m prepared to sacrifice the extra flavour in favour of economising and remaining (semi) healthy. Also, ALWAYS USE THIGH! So, so important. Chicken breast is the driest meat, and should only be eaten if you're dieting... and if you are, this blog may not be the safest place for you!

HANDY TIP: While my £5 hand blender I purchased from Tescos during uni has served me well in all my previous curry endeavours, I’d recommend investing in a mini-chopper for this. They’re only £15 and will save you a lot of time/energy for blending the paste.

This recipe is taken from Sanjeev Kapoor's site (www.sanjeevkapoor.com)

Ingredients:

• Oil (veggie or sunflower)

• 2 onions

• 2 green chillis (de-seeded for a milder option)

• 1 bunch of fresh mint leaves (pick the leaves, the stalks are really bitter)

• 0.5 bunch of coriander (leave stalks on)

• 2 tsp grated ginger

• 2 tbsp ginger and garlic paste

• 2 tsp crushed garlic

• 500g skinless and boneless chicken thighs cut into bite-sized morsels

• 2.5cm cinnamon stick

• 2 green cardamom pods

• 2 black cardomoms

• 3 cloves

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 tsp coriander seeds

• 2 tbsp butter

• 60ml coconut milk

• 1 tsp garam masala

• 0.5 tsp dessicated coconut

• Pinch of salt to taste

Method:

• Apply salt and ginger-garlic paste to the chicken pieces and leave aside for 30 mins.

• Finely chop onions and garlic and place in a chopper to make a paste and put to one side.

• Heat oil and butter in a non-stick pan. Add black cardamoms, green cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf and onions and sauté till onion is golden.

• Chop coriander leaves and put in a chopper. Add ginger, green chillies and coconut and grind into a fine paste with a little water.

• Add marinated chicken to the pan and mix well. Cook for 3-4 minutes and add garam masala and mix again. Add 120ml water and mix. Cover and cook for about 20 mins till the chicken is soft.

• Uncover the pan, adjust salt and add garam masala powder. Mix well and add coconut milk. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes.