Easy Chicken Curry with Yoghurt 🌶 🇮🇳

This is a mild chicken curry you can cook quickly in a wok or a large frying pan and if you have never made a curry before, start with this one.  Spices used in this recipe are the most common you will find in Indian-style cooking so you might want to stock them up in your pantry if you don't already have them.  There are fresh green chillies and red chilli powder in this curry, but the yoghurt added towards the end of the cooking process tones everything down and gives it a creamy, velvety finish.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 500g / 1lb 2oz skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into bitesize
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds
• a sprig of curry leaves
• 150g / 5oz red onions, finely chopped
• 100g / 4oz tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1-2 green chillies, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
•  ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 100ml / 4fl oz natural yoghurt

METHOD

1. Heat oil in a wok or large frying pan to medium.  Add the mustard seeds and curry leaves and fry for about 30 seconds until they pop and crackle.
2. Add the onions, tomatoes, green chillies and ginger.  Stir fry for a few minutes until they are soft and form a thick gravy.
3. Stir in the coriander seeds, ground coriander, ground turmeric, red chilli powder and salt.
4. Add the chicken pieces and cook, stirring all the while until they are coated with all the ingredients and the pinkish colour of the meat disappears.
5. Reduce the heat to low.  Stir in the yoghurt and cook gently until the chicken is completely cooked and tender.  Serve with basmati rice.