Chicken Balti Cooked In A Wok By Dave Watson

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tbsp vegetable oil

• 4 green cardamom pods

• 3 whole cloves

• 3cm piece of cinnamon stick

• 1 Asian bay leaf

• 1⁄2 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 large red onion chopped

• 2 garlic cloves

• 3 cm piece of fresh ginger

• 1 or 2 small green chillies

• 1 tsp cumin powder

• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder

• 1 tsp coriander powder

• 1 tsp of basaar mix (curry club’s own)

• 1⁄2 tsp turmeric powder

• 1⁄4 tsp asafoetida

• 1⁄2 tsp salt or to taste

• 1⁄2 tin of chopped tomatoes or a spash more

• 2 or 3 chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces

• 200ml chicken stock (I use Knorr stock pots)

• 1⁄2 tbsp Kasuri methi leaves (Dried fenugreek leaves)

• 1 tbsp mango chutney

• 1⁄2 tsp mint sauce from a jar

• 1 tbsp chopped coriander stalks (Optional)

• Squeeze of lemon juice

• 1⁄2 an onion sliced length ways into petals

• 1⁄2 red pepper cut into 2 to 3 cm chunks

• 1⁄2 green pepper cut into 2 to 3 cm chunks

• 2 or 3 spring onions chopped into aprox 1cm pieces

• Fresh coriander leaves to garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Grate the garlic, ginger and green chillies, mix them into a paste and put them to one side.

2. Heat the oil in a wok or pan on a medium to high heat and add the cinnamon stick, cloves, green cardamom pods, cumin seeds and bay leaf. Give it a stir and fry them for about a minute until they start the crackle and release their aroma.

3. Add the chopped red onions and cook on medium to high until they start to get caramelise and go brown. Around 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Add the ginger, garlic and green chilli paste and continue to cook until the rawness has gone, about 1 minute.

5. Add the cumin powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder basaar mix, turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt. Give it a good stir and cook for around 1 minute but be careful not to let the spices burn.

6. Add the chopped tomatoes and continue cooking until the oil starts to separate around the edges.

7. Add the chicken and give it a really good stir to seal it and coat it with the spices.

8. Add the chicken stock, turn the heat to medium and simmer for around 10 to 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened.

9. While the chicken is simmering, in a separate pan add a splash of vegetable oil, red and green peppers, sliced onion and spring onions and fry on a high heat until, they just start to char around the edges. Remove from the heat and set aside.

10. When the chicken is cooked add the kasuri methi, mango chutney, mint sauce and lemon juice and stir it all in. Continue cooking for another 2 to 3 minutes.

11. Add the peppers, onions and spring onions and serve garnished with some fresh chopped coriander