Coconut Chicken With Sri Lankan-Style Aubergine Curry

Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 180°C (fan)/ gas 6, boil a kettle and take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air

Add your white long grain rice to a pot with a lid with 225ml [300ml] [450ml] cold water and bring to the boil over a high heat, once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 12-15 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked

Once done, remove from the heat and set aside (lid on) to steam until serving

Chop your creamed coconut roughly (if required!) and add to a bowl with half of your ground turmeric and half of your curry powder (you'll use the rest later!)

Add 50ml [65ml] [85ml] boiled water and a generous pinch of salt and pepper, then stir until the creamed coconut has fully dissolved – this is your coconut marinade

Once dissolved, add your chicken thighs to the marinade and give everything a good mix up until fully coated

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a high heat

Once hot, add the coated chicken to the pan and cook for 3-5 min on each side or until lightly browned

While the chicken is cooking, trim the green stalk[s] off your aubergine[s] and chop, lengthways into bite-sized pieces

Once the chicken has lightly browned, transfer it to a baking paper-lined baking tray (save the pan!) and put the tray in the oven for 18-20 min or until cooked through (no pink meat!) – this is your coconut chicken

Return the reserved pan to a high heat and add the chopped aubergine with a pinch of salt

Cook for 4-5 min or until slightly softened and charred

Meanwhile, reboil a kettle

Crush your cardamom pods open by squashing them with the side of a knife

Discard the outer green pods

Dissolve your chicken stock mix in 400ml [600ml] [800ml] boiled water

Once the aubergine is charred, add your ginger & garlic paste with your tomato paste and cook for 1-2 min or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add your black mustard seeds, cardamom seeds, chilli flakes (can't handle the heat? Go easy!), remaining curry powder and turmeric to the pan, mix it all together and cook for 30 secs until fragrant

Once fragrant, add the chicken stock with 2 tsp [3 tsp] [4 tsp] sugar and bring to the boil

Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 12-15 min or until the sauce has reduced and the aubergine is very tender – this is your Sri Lankan-style aubergine curry