Ingredients

• 500g/1lb 2oz skinless chicken breast fillets
• cut into 4cm/1½in chunks
• 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 6 cardamom pods
• 2 onions
• finely chopped
• 2 tsp garlic paste
• 2 tsp ginger paste
• 400ml can coconut milk
• 2 heaped tbsp plain yoghurt
• 12 dried no-soak pitted prunes
• 25g/1oz cashew nuts
• 3 green chillies
• finely chopped
• 2 tsp cornflour
• mixed with 1 tbsp cold water
• 1½ tsp flaked sea salt
• ½ lime
• juice only
• 25g/1oz ground almonds
• to garnish
• large handful fresh coriander
• roughly chopped
• to garnish

Directions

• Put the chicken pieces in a bowl and add the chilli flakes
• turmeric
• coriander and cumin. Stir well and leave to marinate for 5–10 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan or shallow casserole and gently fry the cumin seeds
• cinnamon stick and cardamom for a few seconds before adding the onions. Cook for 5 minutes
• or until the onion is softened and pale golden-brown
• stirring regularly.
• Add the spiced chicken pieces and cook for 4–5 minutes
• or until lightly coloured on all sides
• stirring regularly. Add the ginger and garlic pastes and cook for another minute. Pour over the coconut milk and add the yoghurt. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes
• stirring occasionally.
• Add the prunes
• cashew nuts
• chillies and cornflour mixture and cook for a further 10 minutes
• stirring regularly. Add a little water if the sauce thickens too much before the chicken is tender. Season with salt and lime juice to taste. Garnish with the ground almonds and fresh coriander.