Method
Heat the oil or ghee in a large saucepan and add the cloves and cinnamon. Cook for a couple of minutes, until the cloves start to swell, then add the onions and cook for 15 to 20 minutes until gently caramelised. Don't rush this – it helps with the final colour of the curry.
When the onions are golden brown, add the garlic, ginger and chillies, and cook for 5 minutes before adding all the spices, the coriander stalks and some of the leaves, and cooking for another couple of minutes.
Add the chopped tomatoes, stir, season and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook, covered, for 10 minutes, before checking the seasoning. Season the chicken and add to the pan with the stock, bring to a gentle simmer and cook, covered, for 30 to 40 minutes, stirring from time to time. Uncover the pan and add the potatoes 20 minutes before the end of cooking, and the beans for the final 5 minutes. Check the seasoning and serve with the remaining chopped coriander.
Ingredients
- 4tbsp vegetable oil or ghee (available from supermarkets)
- 5 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 large onions, sliced
- 5 garlic cloves, crushed
- thumb-sized piece ginger, grated
- 1-4 Thai chillies, split lengthways (and deseeded if you prefer)
- 1tbsp garam masala
- 2tbsp cumin seeds, dry toasted in a frying pan and ground
- 1tsp turmeric
- 1tbsp ground coriander
- 1 large bunch fresh coriander, stalks whizzed and leaves roughly chopped
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 12 free-range chicken thighs, skinned but on the bone
- 700ml (1¼pt) good chicken stock
- 500g (1lb 2oz) potatoes (peeled weight), peeled and cut into chunks
- handful green beans, halved
