Baked spiced chicken thighs

Ingredients (serves 4):

  • 8 chicken thighs on the bone
  • Salt to season
  • 1-2 tbsp garlic and ginger ground together
  • 1tbsp flaked almond
  • 1tbsp white sesame seeds
  • 1tbsp white poppy seeds
  • 1tbsp coriander seeds, dry roasted and ground together with some water into a paste.
  • 2 tsp chilli powder
  • 200ml yoghurt
  • 150ml sunflower/vegetable oil
  • 1tbsp chopped coriander for garnishing (optional)

Method:

  1. Skin and wash the chicken and dry with kitchen paper.

  2. Cut and make a couple of gashes through the thighs.

  3. Rub in the salt, garlic and ginger and set aside.

  4. Mix together all the spices and ground ingredients into the yoghurt and pour over the chicken. Allow to marinate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

  5. Pre-heat the oven 180C, Gas Mark 4, 350 Fahrenheit.

  6. Take a roasting tin and add the oil and spread the chicken evenly then pour over the rest of the yoghurt marinade.

  7. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes, then remove the foil and baste the chicken with the oil and gravy. Reduce the oven temperature to 150C, Gas Mark 2, 300 Fahrenheit and continue to bake for a further 15-20 minutes basting frequently until brown on top. Garnish with coriander and serve with chapatis or naan bread.

Sweet potato and green beans cooked with buttermilk

Ingredients:

  • 30g broken white cashew nuts
  • 30g sunflower seeds
  • 550g sweet potatoes peeled, cut into 1.5cm cubes
  • 200g french beans, stringed and cut into 2.5cm lengths
  • 30g freshly grated coconut or 15g desiccated coconut
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • 1tbsp grated ginger
  • 2 green chillies deseeded
    • Salt
  • 450ml buttermilk
  • 2tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2tbsp light sesame oil
  • 1tsp black mustard seeds
  • 1tsp cumin seeds
  • 3-4 dried red chillies
  • 10 -12 curry leaves
  • Generous handful of spinach shredded
  • 2-3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

Method:

  1. Put the cashew nuts and melon seeds into a bowl and pour over hot water from the kettle. Leave to soak for 15 minutes, then drain.

  2. Separately blanch both the sweet potato and the french beans in boiling salted water for 5 and 2-3 minutes respectively. Drain and refresh in cold water. Set aside.

  3. In a jug blender grind together the nuts melon seeds, coconut, turmeric, ginger, salt to taste, and enough of the buttermilk to make a very smooth paste.

  4. In a separate pan, heat both the oils over a medium heat until hot. Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and the dried chillies. Once they crackle and pop and the chillies have turned a shade darker, add the curry leaves and the nut mixture and continue to stir-fry for a minute or so.

  5. Reduce the heat and pour in the remainder of the buttermilk and add the pumpkin and green beans. Simmer for a few minutes, adjust seasoning. Sprinkle over the chopped coriander and serve.