A Little Bit of Brum (for Kytey)

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OK, can't be arsed with current politics: I can get more sense out of Kafka or Alfred Jarry, to be honest; so food again it is. Pictured, tonight's roast chicken with lemon and garlic, and my ubiquitous roast potatoes. However, I return to last night's promise of a recipe for the curry I cooked yesterday. Apologies for my toes in the picture above, by the way.

Right: as far as I can recall - when engaged in jazz cookery, I tend to just go with it as it unfurls - a large, brown onion, finely chopped is slowly browned in oil seasoned with a teaspoon of brown mustard seeds, five halved Kashmiri chillis, six green cardamom pods (bruised), and two cinnamon (Indian Bay) leaves, on a medium heat. While this is doing, the diced chicken breast meat is marinating in lovely 10% fat Greek yoghurt mixed with a teaspoon of turmeric.

Once the onions are a good golden brown - this always takes much longer than cookbooks suggest: up to half an hour, and I always add a good pinch of sea salt to accelerate the caramelization process - add equal quantities (a generous tablespoon of each) of Patak's Vindaloo and Kashmiri Masala pastes, and cook them out for five minutes or so. Then add the chicken and its marinade, and a can of drained, chopped tomatoes, bring to a boil, and then simmer until the chicken is cooked. Sprinkle with Chaat Masala when plated, and serve with plain Indian roti: chappati, phulka, etc., and poppadums. Enjoy...

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