Ingredients

• 1kg/2lb 4oz chicken pieces
• bone-in
• skinned
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ lemon
• juice only
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 large onion
• chopped
• 4 garlic cloves
• grated
• 5cm/2in piece fresh root ginger
• grated
• 2 tbsp yellow or brown mustard seeds
• soaked for 30 minutes
• drained
• 2 green chillies
• trimmed
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• ½ tsp nigella seeds
• 2 black cardamom pods
• crushed
• 3cm/1¼in piece cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves
• 2 green chillies
• slit lengthways
• green chillies
• thinly sliced
• to serve
• 1 bunch fresh coriander leaves
• to serve

Directions

• Put the chicken in a bowl and season with a teaspoon of salt. Add the lemon juice
• chilli powder
• turmeric and oil. Rub everything into the chicken and then leave to marinate in the fridge for 10 minutes while you make the pastes.
• For the garlic and ginger paste
• put the onion
• garlic
• ginger and a splash of water in a food processor and blitz until fairly smooth. For the mustard paste
• put the mustard seeds and chillies in a food processor and blitz with just enough water to make a paste.
• For the curry
• heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan. When hot
• add all the whole spices and cook until the nigella seeds start to splutter. Immediately add the garlic and ginger paste and cook for a few minutes
• until the paste starts to separate.
• Add the chicken and turn so it is well coated with the paste and spices. Cook over a medium heat for 15 minutes
• turning the chicken regularly.
• Add the mustard paste and 300ml/10fl oz water. Simmer until the sauce is thick enough to coat the chicken and the chicken is cooked through. Serve garnished with the green chillies and coriander.