Adraki chicken

This North Indian/Punjabi dish goes big on ginger – extra is scattered over as it’s served for a bright hit of heat.

Ingreadient

• 3 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
• 1½ tsp cumin seeds
• 1½ tsp fennel seeds, roughly crushed
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken in ½
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 4 clove/s garlic, crushed
• 30g ginger, 10g peeled and finely grated, 20g finely shredded, to serve
• 2 green chillies, slit lengthways
• 2 tsp hot smoked paprika
• 200g passata
• 60g Full-fat Greek-style natural yogurt
• 1kg bone-in chicken thighs, skinned
• Warm naans, to serve (optional)

Step by step

1. In a large casserole dish, heat the ghee or oil until hot, then add the cumin and fennel seeds, cinnamon stick halves and bay leaf. Fry for a few minutes until fragrant and crackling, then stir in the onion. Cook over a very low heat for 20 minutes until caramelised, then add the garlic, grated ginger and slit chillies; fry again for 2 minutes, stirring. Add the paprika and fry for a further 30 seconds. Pour in the passata and cook for 8 minutes until thickened and reduced.
2. Remove from the heat, stir in the yogurt, then add the chicken thighs and mix well until coated. Add 50ml water, cover and put back on the heat. Cook over a low heat for 25-40 minutes or until the chicken is tender, cooked through, the juices run clear and no pink meat remains. Scatter with the shredded ginger and serve with warm naans, if liked. Take care to avoid the whole chillies, cinnamon stick halves and bay leaf.