This is a really quick chicken curry that smells and tastes amazing and can easily be made as a mid-week dinner.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp. corn or vegetable oil
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 cardamom pods
• 4 black peppercorns
• 2 large red onions, finely chopped
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
• 2 tsp salt
• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 tbsp. ginger paste
• 1 tbsp. garlic paste
• 2 tbsp. ground coriander
• 1 tbsp. ground cumin
• ½ tbsp. chilli powder (if you like your curry vindaloo hot, add 1 tbsp.)
• 1 tbsp. ground tumeric
• 6 tomatoes – 4 blended to a puree and 2 chopped into chunks
• 450ml chicken stock

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the cumin seeds, bay leaves, cardamom pods and peppercorns until they start to crackle. Add the onions and fry over a moderate heat until softened.
2. Add the potatoes and cook for 5mins.  Stir in ½ the salt, then add the chicken and cook for 5-8 mins until lightly brown.
3. Add the ginger and garlic pastes, ground coriander, cumin, remaining salt, chilli powder and turmeric.  Cook for a further 10mins, stirring constantly until the spices begin to release their aromas. Stir in the tomatoes and cook for 5mins, then pour in the stock.  Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is cook.
4. Taste and season if required.  Serve with boiled rice and naan.