Real chicken tikka masala

Firstly prepare the spices (paprika, cumin, nutmeg powder, coriander, mustard, garam masala, cardamom pods), dry roasting the cumin, then grinding the cumin in a coffee grinder or pestle & mortar. Slice and deseed the green chilli; chop into small pieces, then add to spice mix. Add all these to a metal or glass mixing bowl. Stir in the lime juice until you have a paste, then add the yoghurt and mix through all the flavours.

Chop the chicken into 2cm cubes and add to the spicy marinade and stir through throughly. Cover with clingfilm and leave in fridge to infuse with the flavours. Try and leave it overnight but a minimum of 3 hours is fine.

While you are making the tikka masala sauce (which follows in next steps), roast the curry flavoured chicken pieces by placing them evenly on a baking tray and cooking in a 180 C / Gas 4 oven for 20 to 25 minutes until nicely browned.

Start by measuring out and mixing together the spice mix for the tikka sauce - the fresh ginger to chilli powder in the ingredient list. Then prepare the green chilli as in stage 1 and mix into the tikka sauce spice mix.

When you have put together the tikka sauce spice mix, heat the ghee or vegetable oil in a frying pan. Add the onions and garlic cloves and fry gently for 3 minutes until starting to get translucent, then add the chopped pepper and fry for another 2 – 3 minutes. Add the spice mix to the onion-garlic-pepper and mix throughly and fry for about 1 minute.

Add all the liquid ingredients to the onion mix and stir completely - that is the white wine vinegar, chopped tinned tomatoes, tomato ketchup, tomato soup and single cream.

Bring to the boil and simmer gently for about 15 minutes. Then add in the garam masala, fresh coriander leaves and salt.

Finally, add the roasted spicy chicken pieces to the tikka sauce. Stir it together and let cook together for about 15 minutes.

Serve with rice and naan bread.