Chicken and vegetable Dopiaza

Decided to add serving suggestions, cos I tend to make very big portions, so this feeds 6 large portions or 8 smaller portions :)

• 2 large onions chopped
• 1 leek chopped
• 4 peppers (some red, some other colours) chopped
• 1/2 butternut squash (cubed)
• 2 sweet potatoes (cubed)
• 4 chicken breasts
• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste (or just use 1 tbsp ginger and garlic)
• 2 tsp coriander seeds
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 1/2 tsp cardamon (out of the pods)
• 2 tsp tumeric
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 green chillies (chopped and deseeded)
• celery salt to taste
• 2 tins chopped tomatoes
• bunch of coriander leaves

Cook onions and leeks with the green chillies and the ginger-garlic paste until softened (about 4-5 minutes).  Add the peppers, squash and sweet potato.  Cook for another 5 minutes.

In a separate dry frying pan, slowly roast the coriander seeds, cumin, cloves and cardamon.  Roast until you can see the spices changing colour and can smell them.  Add the roasted spices to a pestle and mortar with the chilli flakes and grind them down into a powder.

Add the tumeric, garam masala, cinnamon to the vegetables and mix well to coat.  Then add the ground roasted spices and cook again until you can smell the spices.  Add the chopped chicken breasts and cook for 5 mins whilst stirring constantly.  Add the 2 tins of tomato and fill the tins with water and add 2 tins of water as well.  Mix well and cook for 30mins to 1hr.  Season using celery salt and pepper.  Just before serving chop the coriander leaves and mix through.

Serve with brown rice and poppadums

Red Thai Chicken Curry

Adapted from a Ken Hom recipe

Serves 6

• 4 large chicken breasts chopped
• 2 tablespoons chinese stir fry oil, seasame oil or peanut oil
• 4 banana shallots finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons red Thai curry paste (Tesco's have a great one in the herb and spice aisle, or make own using 4 medium red chillies split in half and deseeded, 4 level teaspoons coriander seeds, 2 level teaspoons cumin seeds and dry roast in a frying pan until you can smell them then crush in pestle and mortar to powder, then put in food processor with 4 stems of lemo grass, 2 tablespoons grated ginger, 4 shallots, 6 cloves garlic, grated zest and juice 2 limes, 2 level dessertspoons hot paprika and blitz until coarse paste, freeze in 2 tablespoon portions)
• 1 tin light coconut milk
• 450ml chicken stock
• 100g fresh or tinned bamboo shoots
• selection of asparagus tips, green beans, baby sweetcorn
• 4 fresh red chillies, seeded, cut in half and sliced
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce or light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 4 fresh kaffir leaves or 2 tablespoons lime zest
• handful fresh basil leaves

Heat wok or large frying pan over a high heat, add the oil and then once hot fry off the shallots until soft, then add the curry paste and mix in for 30 seconds.

Add the coconut milk and give it a good stir, then add the stock.

Add all the vegetables including the bamboo shoots, chillies, fish sauce, sugar and lime leaves. Finally add the chopped chicken.

Simmer for 20 minutes. Stir to mix well and finish with the chopped basil leaves.