Chicken Tikka Masala

NOTE: read through the whole recipe before starting as it suggests marinading the chicken over night. I didn't have a few of the spices and it still tasted good so still do it if you're missing a couple. Having a pestal and mortal is ideal

For the chicken tikka:
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Juice of 2 lemons
1 tsp salt
150ml plain yoghurt
1 tbsp pureed ginger (I just grated it)
1 tbsp crushed garlic (about 3 cloves)
1½ tsp ground cumin
1 tbsp garam masala
1 tbsp smoked sweet paprika

For the sauce:
2 tbsp ghee/clarified butter (or flavourless oil)
2 small onions, chopped
6 green cardamom pods, 
2cm cinnamon stick
4 cloves
2 tbsp pureed ginger (use a pestle and mortar)
8 garlic cloves, crushed to a puree ( I used 4)
400g chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato puree
2 small green chillies, split
1 tsp sugar
50ml whipping cream
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp fenugreek leaves, ground ( I didnt have any)
1 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp lemon juice (optional)
Small handful of coriander leaves, to serve

Cut the chicken into bite-sized chunks and stir in the lemon juice and salt. Leave to marinade for 30 minutes. Stir the remaining marinade ingredients together and add to the bowl. Stir well to coat, cover and chill overnight, then bring to room temperature before cooking.

To make the sauce, heat the ghee or other fat in a frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the onions. Fry until soft and golden brown, stirring regularly. Meanwhile, grind the seeds from the cardamom pods, the cinnamon stick and cloves to a smooth powder using a pestle and mortar.

Stir the pureed ginger and garlic into the onions and fry for a couple of minutes, stirring, then add the powdered spices and fry for a minute or so. Tip in the tomatoes and tomato puree plus 300ml water, bring to a simmer, turn the heat down to medium and cook until the oil starts to pool around the sides of the pan.

Meanwhile, heat your grill as high as it goes, and thread the chicken on to metal skewers, pushing the pieces well together. Put on a lined baking sheet as close to the grill as possible and grill for six to eight minutes on each side, until nicely charred at the edges.

Puree the sauce until smooth, then, once the chicken is done, return the pureed sauce to the pan on a medium heat. Stir any remaining marinade into the sauce, along with the chillies, sugar, cream and paprika – you can add more of the latter if necessary to give the sauce a deeper colour. Add the chicken, fenugreek and garam masala and cook for about five minutes, then taste for seasoning. Add more salt or sugar or the lemon juice if you like, then serve with chopped coriander.

Chickpea and Beetroot Curry

An interesting combination that tasted pretty good and added a bit more colour to this typical chickpea curry

fry half a diced onion in a little olive oil until soft
add 2 cloves of diced garlic, one inch of finely grated ginger and half or one diced chilli depending on how hot you like it, fry for another 2 minutes then add 1/2 tsp of coriander seeds, 1/2 tsp of ground coriander, 2 tsp of curry powder and 1/2 tsp of tumeric, keep stirring and cook for 2-3 minutes, careful not to burn the spices
add a drained can of chickpeas and one chopped cooked beetroot and cook for another 2-3 minutes
add 2 tbs of tomato puree, stir well and cook for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and add a little water before the end if you prefer more of a sauce
serve with chopped coriander on top, a good spoon of mango chutney and a squeeze of lime

serves two people, it goes wonderfully with the yellow split pea daal and naan bread

Unbeatable Chocolate Cake

12 0z of plain flour
1/2 teaspoon if baking power
2 tsp of bi-carb
large pinch of salt
4oz of cocoa powder
15foz of cold water
8 oz of margarine or butter
20oz of caster sugar
4 large eggs
half a jar of apricot jam

unless you have the  correct larger pans, divide the ingredients by 2/3 for the smaller 8" round pans

preheat oven to 180c
grease and line the two baking tins

sift the flour, baking powder, bicarb and salt and set aside
add the cocoa to a jug and gradually add the water mix well until fully combined
in a large bowl cream together the marg and sugar
whisk the eggs separately and then gradually add to the creamed butter
alternatively add the flour then cocoa mix and fold in
divide between the two pans and bake for about 30-35 min until a knife comes out clean

once cool use the apricot as a filling inside

the topping

melt 200g of milk chocolate over hot water until fully melted
leave to cool for a minute or two then add 3/4 of a tub of sour cream
mix well and refrigerate for 5-10 minutes to firm up a little
add to the top and sides.
you can shave off the tops of the cakes to flatter and use to stick in the sides to create a flat sides that can be iced.