Free Range Chicken, Date & Tamarind Curry With Brown Rice

Before you start cooking, take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air

Boil a kettle

Peel and slice your red onion[s] finely

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick with a matching lid) with a knob of butter over a medium-low heat

Once melted, add most of the sliced onion (you'll use the rest later!) with a pinch of salt and cook for 8-10 min or until softened and caramelised

While the onion is cooking, rinse your brown rice and add it to a pot with plenty of cold water and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 20-25 min or until it's tender with a slight bite

Once cooked, drain and return it to the pot with a knob of butter and keep covered until serving

Whilst the rice is cooking, peel (scrape the skin off with a teaspoon) and finely chop (or grate) your ginger

Chop your creamed coconut roughly (if required!)

Combine your chopped dates, tamarind paste, chicken stock mix and chopped creamed coconut with 400ml [600ml] [800ml] boiled water – this is your date & tamarind stock

Add the ginger, turmeric, curry powder and a generous grind of black pepper to the softened onion and cook for 30 secs

Add the date & tamarind stock and give everything a good mix up

Add your free range chicken breast portion[s] and increase the heat to medium-high

Cook, covered, for 13-15 min or until the chicken is cooked through (no pink meat!) and the sauce has reduced to a curry-like consistency

Chop your coriander finely, including the stalks

Dice your tomato[es] and cucumber

Combine the diced tomato, diced cucumber and remaining red onion in a large bowl with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of olive oil

Add the chopped coriander just before serving – this is your Indian-style salad