It's international hot & spicy food day - here's the best recipe to celebrate!

Ingredients

• FOR THE TANDOORI SPICE BLEND:
• 1 tsp of ground ginger
• 1 tsp of ground cumin
• 1 tsp of ground coriander
• 1 tsp of paprika
• 1 tsp of turmeric
• 1 tsp of salt
• 1 tsp of cayenne pepper
• FOR THE CHICKEN CURRY:
• 1.5kg of skinless chicken breast, cubed
• 3 tbsp of vegetable oil
• 3 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 large brown onion, finely chopped
• 4 green chillis, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp of ginger and garlic paste
• 2 tbsp of yogurt
• 1/2 cup of water
• A pinch of salt, to taste
• 6-7 cloves
• 6-7 black peppercorns
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 tbsp of red chilli powder (more or less, depending on your spice tolerance)
• 1 tsp of turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp of tandoori spice blend
• 1 whole red bell pepper, chopped into pieces
• 1 whole green bell pepper, chopped into pieces
• 1 whole red onion, chopped into pieces
• 1 handful of coriander, finely chopped (optional)
• 2 tbsp of thickened cream (optional)

Instructions

For the tandoori spice blend:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the ground ginger, ground cumin, ground coriander, paprika, turmeric, salt, and cayenne pepper.
2. Once all the spices are mixed together, leave to one side, or store in an airtight glass container for later use.

For the chicken curry:

1. In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add oil, and sautée the cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick for 2 minutes, or until fragrant.
2. Add the ginger and garlic paste, and the finely chopped brown onion, and cook until the onions turn medium-brown.
3. Add the chopped tomatoes, cover, and cook until softened and almost puréed.
4. Add the yogurt and chicken.
5. Mix all the ingredients in the saucepan, add the water, and cover. Allow to cook for 5 minutes on high heat until the chicken is brown.
6. Add the red chilli powder, turmeric, salt, and tandoori spice blend to the saucepan.
7. Add the chopped bell peppers and red onion to the saucepan.
8. Cover the saucepan again, and cook on medium-high heat until the chicken is fully cooked.
9. Once cooked, simmer on low heat for another 10 minutes.
10. Turn off the heat. Add the thickened cream (optional) and mix through thoroughly. Garnish with chopped green chillis and coriander.
11. Serve.

Recipe by

Fatima