Chicken Pathia With Turmeric Rice And Naan

Take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air

Peel and finely chop your brown onion[s], then finely chop your garlic and ginger

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a generous drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium heat, once hot, add the chopped onion with a generous pinch of salt and cook for 6-8 min or until softened

Meanwhile, heat a pot with a matching lid, with a generous drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium heat

Once hot, add your cumin seeds and cook for 1-2 min or until sizzling

Once the cumin seeds start to sizzle, carefully add your basmati rice and stir it all together

Add your ground turmeric and 250ml [375ml] [500ml] cold water with a pinch of salt to the pot and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 10-12 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked

Once cooked, remove from the heat and keep covered until serving – this is your turmeric rice

Boil half a kettle

While the rice is cooking, chop your chicken thighs into large, bite-sized pieces

Once the onion has softened, add the chopped ginger and garlic to the pan and cook for 1-2 min further or until fragrant

Once fragrant, increase the heat to high and add the chopped chicken with your ground cumin, curry powder, tomato paste and cayenne pepper (can't handle the heat? Go easy!), then give everything a good mix up and cook for 3-4 min or until lightly browned

Tip: Add a drizzle of oil if the pan looks a little dry

Add your tamarind paste with 150ml [200ml] [250ml] boiled water and 2 tsp [3 tsp] [4 tsp] sugar

Once the chicken is beginning to brown, reduce the heat to medium-high cook for 6-8 min further or until the chicken is cooked through (no pink meat!) – this is your chicken pathia

Tip: Add an extra splash of water if the sauce thickens too quickly!

When the chicken is almost cooked, add your garlic & coriander naan[s] to a toaster for 1-2 min or until warmed through

Tip: For a little extra indulgence, butter the hot naans once they are out of the toaster

Meanwhile, chop your coriander roughly, including the stalks