Mughali Chicken
Fresh ginger - 2.5cm, peeled
Garlic - 4 cloves, peeled
Ground Cumin - 2 teaspoons
Ground Coriander - 1 teaspoon
Dried chilli - ½ teaspoon
Ground almonds - 4 tablespoons
Water - 125ml
Cardamom pods - 5, bruised
Cinnamon stick - 1, broken in half
Bay leaves - 2
Cloves - 4
Vegetable oil - 4 tablespoons
Boned and skinned chicken thighs - 1.5kg, each cut into 2 pieces
Onions - 2, finely chopped
Greek yoghurt - 250ml
Chicken stock - 250ml
Double cream - 125ml
Garam masala - 1 teaspoon
Caster sugar - 1 tablespoon
Salt - 1 teaspoon
Flaked almonds - 75g, toasted

Blend the ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander and chilli to a paste using a pestle and mortar. Add the ground almonds and water and stir. Set aside. Measure the cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, bay leaves and cloves into a handy little bowl. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the chicken pieces in batches. Cook long enough to seal on both sides then remove to a dish.

Tip the bowl of spices into the pan and sizzle for a minute. Add the onions and cook over a gentle heat until softened and lightly browned. Stir frequently. Pour in the blended spicy paste and cook until it starts to colour. Add the yoghurt, 125ml at a time, mixing it in well. Stir in the stock and cream. Put the browned chicken pieces, and any juices collected underneath them, into the pan. Sprinkle over the garam masala, sugar and salt and stir into the sauce. Cover and cook on a gentle heat for 20 minutes before testing to see if the chicken meat is cooked through.

[It is at this stage, apparently, that the curry can be taken off the heat, left to cool and reheated the next day. Needless to say, I wasn't that organised.]

Serve scattered with the toasted almonds.

Chickpea and Tomato Curry
Chickpeas - 2 x 400g cans, drained
Onions - 2, finely chopped
Fresh ginger - 2cm, peeled and grated
Garlic - 2 cloves, peeled and finely chopped
Red chillies - 2, seeded and finely chopped
Turmeric - ½ teaspoon
Vegetable oil - 2 tablespoons
Tinned tomatoes - 2 x 400g cans
Ground coriander - 1 tablespoon
Ground cumin - 2 teaspoons
Garam masala - 2 teaspoons
Lemon - ½
Fresh coriander - small bunch

Cook the onions, ginger, garlic, chillies and tumeric in the oil until softened and golden. Add the tinned tomatoes, ground coriander and ground cumin. Cook over a low heat for 20 minutes. Sprinkle over garam masala and lemon juice and let simmer for another 10 minutes. Strew with fresh coriander before serving.

Cauliflower with Roasted Cumin
Vegetable oil - 2 tablespoons
Cumin seeds - 1 tablespoon
Black or yellow mustard seeds - 1 tablespoon
Cauliflower - 1 large head, broken into florets
Ground cumin - ½ teaspoon
Ground coriander - ½ teaspoon
Ground turmeric - ½ teaspoon
Red chilli - 1, seeded and chopped
Frozen peas - 50g
Salt

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and, when hot, add the cumin and mustard seeds. Let sizzle for a few seconds before putting the cauliflower into the pan and stirring to coat. Add a splash of water, put on the lid, turn the heat down and simmer for five minutes. Add the ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, chilli and peas. Season with salt and cook, uncovered, over a low heat for approximately five minutes until the cauliflower is cooked.