Jono & Jules do food & wine

An easy but very tasty curry for two.

Wine Suggestion: we would keep this very easy and open an Asahi, a dry and savoury lager that quenches the thirst and makes a refreshing match for the curry.

Black pepper & bay leaf curry – serves 2

• 3 cloves of garlic, 2 peeled and grated
• 2 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 large red onion, peeled and finely diced
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tsp black peppercorns, finely ground
• 300g chicken breast, cut into 4cm pieces
• 5cm piece of ginger, peeled and grated
• 250g vine cherry tomatoes, halved
• 100ml single cream
• juice of ½ lemon

Put the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, then add the cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom and bay and stir for 30 seconds. Add the onion and cook for 7 minutes or until golden brown.

Meanwhile mix the turmeric, cumin, chilli, ground peppercorns and a tsp of salt in a large bowl. Add the chicken and toss to coat.

Add the grated garlic and ginger to the pan, and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the spiced chicken, fry for 2 minutes on each side, then add the tomatoes and cook for 5-6 minutes or until they’ve broken down. Add the cream, simmer for a couple of minutes, then check the chicken is cooked through.

Remove from the heat, squeeze in the lemon juice, taste for salt and serve with rice.

(Original recipe by Rukmini Iyer in The Guardian)