Inspired by the amazing recipe in Camellia Panjabi’s 50 Great Curries of India, but simplified and adapted to use ground spices and tinned coconut milk. And a bit less chilli for the sensitive-mouthed. It is so delicious, creamy and spicy. And the recipe looks complicated but it is absolutely not. Feeds 6 comfortably.

• 8-10 dried red chillis
• 2 tsp mustard seeds
• 3 tbsp veg oil or coconut oil
• 150g fresh coconut, grated (or 100g unsweetened desiccated coconut soaked in 300 ml boiling water for 30 mins)
• 2 heaped tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground fenugreek
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• Large pinch ground cloves
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste
• 2 small onions, 1 roughly chopped and the other finely diced
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2″ piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 tin coconut milk
• 800 g skinless boneless chicken thigh, cut into pieces
• 12 curry leaves

1. In a deep lidded frying pan over a low heat, toast the red chillis for 2 mins then add the mustard seeds and heat for a further minute
2. Tip them into a blender and add 2 tbsp oil to the pan. Increase the heat to medium and add the coconut (drained and well squeezed-out if using desiccated coconut – retaining the liquid for later). Stir and fry it for 2-3 mins until toasty and starting to go golden
3. Add the toasty coconut to the blender, along with all the spices, salt, tamarind, 1 roughly chopped onion, garlic and ginger. Plus the clear liquid from the tin of coconut milk (or just ⅓ of the tin if it’s blended) and 200ml water (or the retained coconut soaking water)
4. Blend thoroughly into a smooth paste
5. Wipe out the frying pan and add 1 tbsp oil over medium heat
6. Fry the finely diced onion until completely soft and brown around the edges
7. Add the curry paste and fry for 5 mins, stirring frequently until fragrant and a shade darker in colour. Then add the chicken pieces and stir in
8. Once the chicken starts to cook, add the remaining creamy part of the coconut milk, plus another 200ml water
9. Increase the heat, bring the curry to a bubble and then put the lid on and simmer for 20 mins
10. Take the lid off and cook for a further 5-10 mins to reduce the sauce, stirring occasionally. Taste for seasoning. Then taste again. Maybe once more. And a tiny piece of the chicken just to check. Attempt not to eat too much of it before you serve
11. Just before serving, stir in the curry leaves

Serve with lashings of basmati rice or idli, and something green (garlicky green beans maybe) on the side.