Chicken Jalfrezi

Method

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1. Heat the oil in a large deep pan over medium heat, add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 20 seconds.

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2. Add the chopped onions and cook 12 minutes, stirring, until deep golden. Add the garlic and ginger and cook 2 minutes.

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3. Stir in the ground cumin, coriander, turmeric and chilli powder and cook 1 minute.

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4. Add the tomatoes, purée, sugar and salt and simmer 10 minutes, until thick and the oil begins to separate at the edges.

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5. Add the chicken, cover and simmer 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until cooked through and 74°C / 165°F.

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6. Meanwhile heat the tablespoon of oil in a frying pan over high heat and stir-fry the peppers, onion petals and green chillies for 4 minutes, until charred at the edges but still crunchy.

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7. Fold the vegetables into the curry with the garam masala and half the coriander.

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8. Serve scattered with the rest of the coriander.

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Chef’s Tips

• Cook the peppers and onion separately. In the sauce they turn soft and lose the point of the dish.
• Take the onions to deep golden. That colour is the base of the sauce.
• Slit the green chillies and leave the seeds in for more heat.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• A pinch of dried chilli flakes works in place of fresh chilli — start with about a third of the quantity the green chillies in the list implies, since dried chilli is more concentrated, and add more to taste.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.
• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.

Pairing Suggestions

• Basmati rice
• Peshwari naan
• A cold lager

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate up to 4 days and reheat gently, adding the vegetables fresh if you can. Freeze the sauce and chicken for 3 months.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.