Chicken Vindaloo

Serving for 4 to 6 Persons

Ingredients

2 teaspoons of whole cumin seeds

2 dried red chillis

1 teaspoon of black peppercorns

1 teaspoon of cardamom seeds

Stick of cinnamon, 3 inches (7 cm) in length

1 1/2 teaspoons of black mustard seeds

5 tablespoons of white vinegar

4 tablespoons of vegetable oil

4 medium onions, sliced

2 lb (lkg) of boneless and skinless chicken breast

1 inch (2.5cm) cube of fresh ginger, peeled and grated

1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed

2 teaspoon of cilantro powder

1 1/2 teaspoon of ground turmeric

3 cups of water

Method

1. Grind together the cumin seeds, red chillis, peppercorns, cardamom seeds, cinnamon and black mustard seeds - a pestle and mortar is ideal for doing this.

2. Put the ground spices into a medium sized bowl and add the vinegar. Stir well and set aside.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, then stir in the onions. Fry the onions until they turn brown and crispy, stirring frequently; this will take

approximately 20 minutes.

4. Remove the onions from the pan and puree them in a blender - add a little water if necessary.

5. Add the pureed onion to the ground spices and vinegar and stir together well.

6. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

7. Mix the garlic and ginger with a tablespoon of water to make a paste.

8. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in the frying pan over a medium heat, then add the chicken pieces. Brown on all sides, stirring frequently, for about 8 minutes.

9. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

10. Add the garlic and ginger paste to the frying pan and stir fry for 1 minute. Add the cilantro and turmeric and stir fry for a further 30 seconds.

11. Add the chicken, spice puree paste and 3 cups of water to the frying pan and bring to the boil.

12. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook gently for about an hour, stirring occasionally.

13. Serve with bas mati rice and your favorite accompaniments such as naan bread, mango chutney and poppadoms.