baked chicken with indian spices

Serves 4

Preparation time 10 minutes

Cooking time 45 minutes

75 g (3 oz) butter

3 large onions, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons ground turmeric

3 cm (1¼ inch) piece of fresh root ginger, finely chopped

6 whole cloves

1 cinnamon stick, halved

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1.25 kg (2½ lb) oven-ready chicken, jointed into 10 pieces

salt and pepper

Melt 50 g (2 oz) of the butter in a frying pan on the hob and gently fry the onions for 8–10 minutes until softened and beginning to colour.

Drain the onions from the pan using a slotted spoon and put in a casserole dish. Melt the remaining butter in the pan and add the turmeric, ginger, cloves, cinnamon and garlic. Add the chicken pieces and turn in the spices over a gentle heat for 5 minutes.

Mix the chicken and their spices with the onions in the casserole dish. Seaon with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and place on the lower rack of the halogen oven.

Set the temperature to 200°C (392°F) and cook for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Serve with pilau rice, naan bread and mango chutney.

For spicy pilau rice to serve as an accompaniment, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a frying pan on the hob. Add 4 tablespoons flaked almonds and fry gently until they begin to brown. Drain the almonds with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add 1 small finely chopped onion to the pan and fry gently for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in 1 crushed garlic clove, 1 teaspoon crushed dried chillies and ½ teaspoon ground turmeric. Fry for a further 1 minute. Add 250 g (8 oz) basmati rice and 300 ml (½ pint) chicken or vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to its lowest setting. Cook gently, covered, for about 20 minutes until the rice is tender, adding a little more stock or water if the mixture becomes dry before the rice is cooked. Stir in the almonds and a handful of raisins. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve hot.