Durban Chicken Curry

• 8 - 12 Chicken pieces on the bone. I use a mix of legs and thighs

• 1 large brown onion copped

• 1 tin chopped tomatoes

• 3 large potatoes quartered (or cut into 6 if very large

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 1 star anise

• 2 bay leaves

• 1 teaspoon red chili flakes

• 2-3 green chilies sliced in half lengthways

• ½ teaspoon cardamom powder

• 1 teaspoon garam masala

• 1 teaspoon coriander powder

• 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

• ½ teaspoon cumin powder

• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder

• 1 sprig curry leaves

• few sprigs thyme

• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds

• ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds

• ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds

• ¼ cup freshly chopped coriander roughly chopped

• 2 tablespoons chili powder (use less if you want a milder curry)

• ½ tablespoon crushed ginger paste

• ½ tablespoon crushed garlic paste

• Salt

• 2-3 tablespoons canola oil

• freshly chopped coriander for garnishing

• Heat the oil on a large pan on the stove top on a medium heat and add onion, green chilies, thyme, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, star anise, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and fennel seeds.

• Gently fry until the onions have softened - about 5 minutes

• Once the onions have softened, add in the turmeric powder, red chili flakes, cardamom powder, coriander powder, garam masala, cumin powder, chili powder, ginger paste and garlic paste and mix well

• Add the chicken pieces and some salt to taste

• Mix well to allow the chicken to get coated in the spice mix

• Cover with a lid and cook on a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

• After 10 minutes, add the tinned tomatoes, curry leaves,¼ cup of chopped coriander and about 300ml of boiling water

• Cover and cook on a medium heat for 15 minutes

• Add the potatoes, stir through the gravy, cover and cook for a further 15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked through

• Taste and season as required

• Garnish with freshly chopped coriander and serve with rice and/or roti