The ingredient list makes this look harder than it is, but trust the process and you’ll end up with a delicious dinner of succulent, moist (not sorry!) chicken meatballs in a gently spiced creamy, tangy sauce. Feeds 2 to 4, depending on hunger, choice of sides, and chickpea-addition.

• 500g minced chicken
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped
• 1″ ginger, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• Handful of mint leaves, finely chopped
• Handful of coriander leaves, finely chopped
• Juice of ½ a lemon
• ¼ tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• ½ tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp salt
• Ground black pepper
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 tbsp plain flour or gram flour
• Veg oil

• 2 tbsp oil
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 3 green cardamom pods
• 1 black cardamom pod
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1″ ginger, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 4 tomatoes, pureed
• Salt
• 125g plain yoghurt
• [1 tin chickpeas – optional]
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp garam masala
• Handful fresh coriander
• Toasted flaked almonds

1. Mix the kofta ingredients together thoroughly, leave to sit for 10 mins to firm up, and then form into balls (with damp hands or spoons)
2. Cook them by 1) heating oil in a frying pan and frying the kofta on both sides until golden brown, 2) place on baking paper in air fryer and cook at 190 for 7 mins, or 3) bake in the oven on a lined tray at 180C fan for 15 mins. Then remove and set to one side
3. In a deep frying pan over a medium heat, heat the oil and add the whole spices, stirring and cooking for 2 mins
4. Then add the chopped onion, stir and cook until golden and soft, then add the garlic, ginger and chilli, stir and cook for another 2 mins
5. Tip in the ground spices and stir together before adding the pureed tomatoes and salt to taste
6. Bring to a bubble, and cook for 5 mins until reduced and fragrant before adding 250ml boiling water and the yoghurt
7. Cover the pan and cook for 20 mins on low heat, then add sugar and garam masala.
8. Remove the whole spices, then blend the sauce until smooth
9. Pour it back into the pan over low heat and stir before popping the kofta into the sauce and very gently turning them over in it, adding more boiling water to loosen the sauce if needed. If you want to bulk it out, you can also add a tin of chickpeas at this stage.
10. Continue to cook until everything is well combined and hot, then sprinkle with chopped fresh coriander and toasted flaked almonds
11. Serve straight away, with rice or paratha

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.