HOW TO MAKE IT

1. In a food processor or pestle and mortar, blitz the garlic, ginger, spices and the 50ml water into a smooth paste. Set aside for now.
2. Next, pop a large casserole dish or saucepan onto your hob on a medium heat, add the ghee or butter, the onions and sweat them until they’re soft and translucent, about 7 to 8 minutes.
3. Now, add the chillies and continue to cook until the onions are a very light golden brown colour.
4. Add the spiced ginger garlic paste to the pot, turn the heat down to gentle heat, stir thoroughly, pop the lid of the pot ‘half-on’ and allow to cook for 10 minutes.
5. Add the *chicken pieces, turn the heat back up to medium and cook for 5 minutes, lid off, stirring frequently .
6. Then, add the pickle, warm water, stir well to combine all the ingredients, pop the lid on and allow to gently bubble for 10 minutes.
7. Remove the lid and allow to cook for another 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked – we would serve it with the sauce still nice and thin so it combines beautifully with the rice, but you can leave it to thicken if you prefer
8. Take off the heat, pour the yoghurt into the pot and stir thoroughly to combine all the yummy flavours.
9. Squeeze the lemon juice liberally all over the chicken and serve immediately on mounds of Green Saffron’s Aged Basmati rice, a little smoked banana riata and fresh sliced cucumbers….enjoy!

*Alternative Suggestions:

If you’d prefer to use lamb (we do!), then dice up 1kg lamb shoulder, add it at stage 5, then follow stage 6 except leave the lid on and allow to bubble gently for about 90 minutes, adding a little more water if necessary to prevent the pot from drying, or until the meat is melt-in-the-mouth gorgeous, then go on to stage 8….beautiful!