South Indian-Style Chicken Cashew Curry

Peel and finely slice your red onion[s]

Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

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

Once hot, add the sliced onion and chopped garlic with a pinch of salt and cook for 8 min or until softened and starting to brown

Meanwhile, take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air, then boil a kettle

Chop your tomato[es] finely

Cut your red chilli[es] in half lengthways, deseed (scrape the seeds out with a teaspoon) and chop finely

Chop your coriander finely, including the stalks

Once the onion has softened, add your garam masala, tomato paste, most of the chopped chilli (can't handle the heat? Go easy!) and most of the chopped coriander (save some for garnish!) and cook for 30 secs

Add the chopped tomato and cook for a further 30 secs

Dissolve your chicken stock mix in 300ml [400ml] [500ml] boiled water

Add the chicken stock to the pan and cook, covered, for 3 min

Chop your chicken breast portion[s] into bite-sized pieces

Add the chopped chicken to the pan and cook, covered for 12-15 min or until the chicken is tender and cooked through (no pink meat!)

While the chicken is cooking, add your basmati rice, cardamom pods and 300ml [390ml] [600ml] cold water to a pot with a lid 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 cardamom rice

Add your cashew nuts to a pestle & mortar and bash into a fine powder (or blitz in a food processor)

Add 2 tbsp [3 tbsp] [4 tbsp] cold water and mix to form a paste

Stir the cashew paste into the curry and cook for 2 min further – this is your South Indian-style chicken cashew curry