Chicken Korma - 5

Cut each chicken joint into half, separating leg from thigh and cutting each breast into two.

Mix with ginger and yogurt, cover and leave to marinate in a cool place for 2-4 hours or overnight in a refrigerator.

Place the chopped onion, red chilies and garlic in a blender or food processor and blend to a smooth paste. You may need to add a little water if using a blender.

Heat the 5 tbs oil over medium heat and fry the sliced onions till they are golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat and using a slotted spoon, transfer the onions to another dish leaving any remaining oil in the pan.

Place the pan in which the onions have been fried over medium heat and add the other 2 tbsps cooking oil.

When hot, add the ground coriander, powdered pepper, garam masala and turmeric, stir rapidly (take pan off heat if the oil is too hot) and add the chicken along with the marinade. Adjust the heat to medium- high and fry the chicken for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the pureed spices and continue to fry for 6-8 minutes on low heat.

Add the water and the coconut and bring to the boil. Stir until coconut is dissolved. Add fried onion slices and salt.

Reduce heat to low, cover the pan and simmer until the chicken is tender (25-30 minutes). Sprinkle the ground almonds and mix well. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice.

Tips from me: Don't skimp on the steps, and make sure the proportions of the spices are as shown or it may turn out awful. I find this best with chicken thighs (cheap too!). This can be quite hot for some people unless you seed the chiliesDescription Korma is a classic north Indian dish and there are many variations, some of which are quite elaborate. The recipe below, though simple and prepared with readily available ingredients, has all the characteristic features of this classic dish