Ingredients

• 3 tbsp coconut oil or sunflower oil
• 5cm/2in cinnamon stick
• 6 cloves
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 4 garlic cloves
• thinly sliced
• 5cm/2in piece fresh root ginger
• peeled and cut into small matchsticks
• 2 red onions
• thinly sliced
• 8 green chillies
• slit lengthways
• 15 curry leaves
• 1kg–1.3kg/2lb 4oz–2lb 14oz chicken
• jointed into 8 pieces
• or 8 chicken pieces
• skin removed
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp black peppercorns
• coarsely crushed
• 590ml/19fl oz coconut milk
• 5 tbsp toddy (palm) vinegar (or sherry vinegar or sweet white wine vinegar)
• to serve
• 1 tsp ground garam masala
• to serve
• 240g/8½oz basmati rice
• rinsed under running water
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 star anise
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 onion
• thinly sliced
• 10 curry leaves
• 1½ tsp salt
• 1½ tsp caster sugar
• 4 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 160ml/5½fl oz coconut milk

Directions

• For the chicken stew
• heat the oil in a large
• lidded frying pan or sauté pan. Add the cinnamon
• cloves and cardamom
• followed by the garlic
• ginger
• onions
• chillies and curry leaves. Cook over medium heat until the onions are soft.
• Add the chicken
• salt and pepper and stir for a minute. Pour in the coconut milk and 125ml/4fl oz water. Reduce the heat to low and simmer
• covered
• for 45 minutes
• or until the chicken is cooked through.
• Meanwhile
• soak the rice in cold water for 20 minutes
• then drain well. Heat the oil in a large
• lidded saucepan. Add the star anise
• cardamom and bay and cook
• stirring
• for 30 seconds. Add the onion
• curry leaves
• salt and sugar and cook until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the vinegar
• coconut milk
• 300ml/10fl oz water and then the rice. Mix well
• then simmer
• stirring
• for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium
• cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 7–8 minutes. All the liquid should be absorbed.
• Take off the heat and stir. Cover with the lid again and set aside for 10 minutes to let the rice finish cooking in its steam.
• To serve
• add the vinegar to the stew
• sprinkle over the garam masala and mix well. Remove from the heat and serve with the sweet and sour rice.