Medium balti chicken

serves 6
ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
900g/2lb skinless chicken breast
fillets, cubed
1 onion, sliced
225g/8oz green beans, cut into
5cm/2in lengths
350g/12oz tomatoes, chopped
15g/1⁄2oz fresh basil, roughly torn
salt and freshly ground
black pepper
For the sauce
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh
root ginger
4 fresh green chillies, chopped
15 cloves
seeds from 10 green
cardamom pods
1 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
1 teaspoon mustard powder
400g/14oz tinned chopped
plum tomatoes
600ml/1pt vegetable stock
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed
lemon juice
pared zest of 1 lemon
• To make the sauce, heat the oil in a heavy pan, and fry the onions,
garlic and ginger for 2 minutes. Add the chillies and cook for a further
2 minutes. Add the spices and stir-fry for 30 seconds until aromatic. Add
the tomatoes, stock, lemon juice and lemon zest. Bring to the boil and
simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Discard the lemon zest.
• Heat the oil in a large balti pan or wok, and stir-fry the chicken for
5 minutes until golden. Add the onion and green beans, and continue to
stir-fry for 1 minute.
• Pour in the sauce and simmer gently for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the tomatoes and basil, and cook for a further 2 minutes or until
the chicken is tender. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.