A Simple Chicken Curry

There is no grinding of spices or careful measuring of ingredients in this curry recipe. Flavour and heat come from two little bottles that most kitchens seem to collect along the way: curry powder and chilli powder. The curry is finished with spinach and Greek yoghurt which give it a freshness and richness that belies the simplicity of the recipe. Make a treat of this surprisingly subtle cheat`s curry by serving it with boiled rice, mango chutney, poppadoms and home made cucumber raita.

Serves 4

Prep: 30 min

Cook: 45 min

800g chicken thigh fillet

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 onions

2 large garlic cloves

½ tsp chilli powder

3 heaped tsp curry powder

160ml can coconut cream

½ chicken stock cube dissolved in 250ml boiling water

1 tbsp lemon juice

200g young spinach leaves

4 tbsp thick Greek yoghurt

1 tbsp toasted flaked almonds

Peel, halve and thinly slice the onions. Peel and chop the garlic. Sprinkle the garlic with ½ tsp salt and work to a juicy paste. Heat the oil in a spacious pan and stir in the onions and garlic. Cook briskly, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes until the onion is wilted and browned in places. Add the chilli and curry powders and cook, stirring constantly, for about a minute. Meanwhile, cut the chicken into large, bite-size pieces. Stir the chicken into the onion, turning it around until all the pieces have changed from pink to white, increase the heat slightly and let the chicken brown slightly. Add the coconut cream and stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Increase the heat, stir the lemon juice into the sauce, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary before pushing the spinach between the chicken pieces. When wilted – a matter of seconds – loosely stir the yoghurt into the curry. Scatter with the toasted almond flakes and serve.