Baked cardamom chicken curry

My new book, The Batch Cook Book is out this month. It’s available on Amazon and all good bookshops, so please have a look!. 

In the meantime, here’s a sneak preview of one of my favourite recipes. It’s a big, warm-hearted, feast of a dish, which will happily feed 6 hungry people with yummy leftovers to eat the next day! Serve it with rice and the usual curry accompaniments. 

2 kg skin on, bone-in chicken thighs

2 tsp. Malvern salt

Zest and juice of 2 lemons

Black pepper

Large thumb of fresh ginger, grated (about 4-5cm)

6 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tbsp. ground coriander

4 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. chilli flakes

1 tsp. turmeric

10 cardamom pods, seeds crushed, husks discarded

2 cinnamon sticks

6 cloves

14 tbsp. natural yoghurt

2 tbsp. vegetable oil for roasting

2 onions, finely chopped

Four large handfuls of washed spinach 

To serve: plain rice, naan bread and chutneys

Mix the chicken, salt, lemon zest and juice and plenty of black pepper in a large ovenproof casserole dish or deep roasting tin. Cover and rest for 30 minutes. 

Mix the remaining herbs and spices with the yoghurt and add to the chicken. Stir well, then cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes or up to 24 hours. 

Uncover the chicken and brush with the oil. Sprinkle chopped onion evenly over the top. 

Heat the oven to 180/160 fan/gas 4 and roast the chicken for 50 minutes. Baste with the juices and chopped onions, and then turn the heat up to 200/180 Fan/Gas 6. Roast for another 30-40 minutes, basting half way though until the chicken is cooked through and the skin is crispy. Move the chicken pieces around in the dish or tin if the edges are cooking faster. 

Remove from the oven and stir the spinach through until it wilts, then serve.