New Year in July – Dish 3

Here's my final contribution for your New Year in July bash - a creamy chicken curry :

I first came across a version of this recipe years ago by Madhur Jaffrey, here's mine :

Dish 3 - Malai wali murghi

(aka MWM)

1.35kg/3lb chicken fillet, diced

*1½ tsp salt

*2 tsps cumin

*2 tsps coriander

*½ tsp turmeric

*½ tsp cayenne pepper

ground black pepper

6/7 garlic cloves or equivalent paste

2.5cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled

and chopped finely or equivalent paste

300ml water

6 tbsp vegetable oil

110g onion, chopped finely

175g passata

1 tsp garam masala

200ml double cream (heavy USA)

If you are using raw garlic and ginger then blitz them in a blender, add a drop or two of the water and blend until smooth. Alternatively mix both the garlic and ginger pastes together.

Mix the spices marked * above.

Using a large frying pan add the vegetable oil and heat. Seal the diced chicken on both sides and set aside in the slow cooker.

Fry the onion for 2/3 minutes and add black pepper. Add the garlic and ginger paste then the spices and fry for 2/3 minutes. Mix the passata with the remaining water and add to the mixture, bring to the boil and transfer to the slow cooker – cook for 2/3 hours.

15 minutes before the end of cooking time add the garam masala and the double cream to complete the dish.

If you prefer a vegetarian or vegan version you can use Quorn pieces. If you use Quorn pieces they take 12 minutes to cook from frozen. Cook the sauce on the hob for 30 minutes, adding the Quorn after 18 minutes, with the garam masala and cream at the same time, simmer for the remaining 12 minutes.

You'll not be disappointed – there's more …