Ingredients

• 450g/1lb plain flour
• plus extra for dusting
• 2 tsp fast-action dried yeast
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 free-range egg
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• pinch sea salt
• 150g/5oz plain yoghurt
• 150ml/5fl oz milk
• 50g/2oz butter
• melted
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 whole dried red chillies
• torn or chopped
• seeds removed
• 2 long green chillies
• finely chopped
• 2 onions
• finely chopped
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh curry leaves
• 5cm/2in piece fresh root ginger
• peeled
• finely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves
• finely chopped
• 1 tsp hot red chilli powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 300ml/10½fl oz chicken stock
• 250g/9oz red lentils
• rinsed
• then soaked in 250ml/9fl oz water for 15 minutes
• 1 tsp salt
• 40g/2½oz butter
• 6 boneless
• skinless chicken thighs
• cut into chunks
• 1 x 200g tin tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste
• 1 tbsp soft dark brown sugar
• 1 small bunch fresh coriander
• roughly chopped
• plus extra to serve
• 2 tbsp roughly chopped fresh mint leaves
• vegetable oil
• for shallow frying
• 450g/1lb paneer
• cut into thin strips about 1cm/½in wide 3cm/1¼in long
• 50g/2oz pine nuts
• 4 long green chillies
• finely sliced
• 8 garlic cloves
• finely diced
• 5cm/2in piece fresh root ginger
• peeled and finely diced
• 1 red onion
• finely sliced
• 1 green pepper
• finely sliced
• 1 long red pepper
• finely sliced
• 50ml/2fl oz white wine vinegar
• 75ml/2¾fl oz light soy sauce
• 250ml/9fl oz chicken stock
• 3 spring onions
• trimmed
• finely sliced
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• mixed to a paste with 3 tbsp cold water

Directions

• For the naan
• place the flour
• yeast and baking powder into a free-standing food mixer fitted with a dough hook
• or use a large bowl and a hand-held electric whisk fitted with a dough hook.
• Add the egg
• sugar and salt and mix well to combine. Add the yoghurt and milk and continue to mix until the mixture comes together as a soft dough.
• Set the dough aside
• in the bowl
• for 1 hour
• or until risen
• then turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead briefly until smooth and elastic. Set aside until needed.
• Divide the dough into 6 equal-sized balls
• then place them onto a floured tray
• cover them with a clean tea towel and set aside once more at room temperature for another 1 hour.
• Meanwhile
• for the dal chicken
• heat half of the vegetable oil in a large
• heavy-based
• lidded frying pan over a high heat. Add the dried chillies and fry for 1 minute
• then add the green chillies and onion and fry for 3-4 minutes
• or until lightly coloured. Stir in the curry leaves
• ginger and garlic and continue to fry.
• In a bowl
• mix the chilli powder
• ground cumin
• coriander and turmeric with 150ml/5fl oz of the chicken stock to form a paste. Add the paste to the pan and cook until you see the oil separate from the mixture – about 2-3 minutes.
• Add the lentils and their soaking water to the pan and bring the mixture to the boil
• stirring well. Season
• to taste
• with the salt
• then reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering
• cover the pan with the lid and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
• Add the butter to the pan
• cover once more and continue to simmer while you cook the chicken.
• Heat the remaining oil in a separate saucepan over a medium heat. Fry the chicken for 3-4 minutes
• or until golden-brown on both sides and almost cooked through.
• Transfer the lentil mixture to the pan containing the chicken
• then stir in the tinned tomatoes and remaining chicken stock. Return the mixture to a simmer and simmer for another 5-10 minutes
• or until the chicken is cooked through with no trace of pink remaining and the lentils are tender.
• Stir in the tamarind paste
• brown sugar
• coriander and mint and season again
• to taste. Loosen the mixture with a little more stock if it is too thick.
• For the chilli paneer
• heat a wok over a high heat
• then add enough oil to reach 2.5cm/1in up the sides. When the oil is just shimmering
• carefully lower the paneer into the pan in batches and fry until golden-brown all over. Transfer each batch to a sieve suspended over a bowl.
• Discard the majority of the oil
• leaving enough to just coat the bottom of the wok.
• Add the pine nuts
• chilli
• ginger and garlic to the wok and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes.
• Add the red onion and peppers and stir-fry for another 1-2 minutes
• then add the vinegar
• soy sauce and chicken stock and bring to the mixture to a simmer.
• Add the spring onions and continue to simmer for 1-2 minutes
• then whisk in the cornflour paste and continue to cook until the sauce has just thickened. Stir in the drained paneer. Garnish with coriander.
• Preheat the oven to its highest setting. Place a heavy-based baking tray or pizza stone into the oven as it heats up.
• Stretch each dough ball into a flat oval shape using your hands. Bake the naans in the oven for 4-5 minutes
• or until slightly risen and golden brown
• then keep warm. Just before serving
• brush their surfaces with melted butter.
• To serve
• transfer the chicken dal to a large serving bowl. Stack the naans on a serving plate alongside. Spoon the chilli paneer onto a separate serving plate. Let everybody help themselves.