Ingredients

1 Kg/2 ¼ lbs chicken joints, skinned

1 ½ tsps salt

2.5cm/1 inch piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped

4-6 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

150g/5 oz thick-set natural yogurt

Juice of lemon

Whole Spices

1 cinnamon stick, 2 inches long, broken up

8 green cardamoms

6 whole cloves

8-10 red chillies

6-8 white peppercorns

2 tbsps cooking oil

2 tbsps tomato puree

225g/8 oz butter

400g/14 oz can tomatoes

2 cinnamon sticks, 5 cm/2 inches long, broken up

150ml/ ¼ pint single cream

Cut the chicken into strips, 5 x 10cm/ 2 x 4 inches.  Add the salt to the ginger and garlic and crush to a smooth pulp.  Grind the whole spices.  Combine the yogurt, lemon juice and the ground spices and beat until the mixture is smooth.  Marinate the chicken in this mixture, cover, and leave in a cool place for 2-4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Heat the oil over a medium heat and add the ginger and garlic pulp, stir and fry for 1 minutes.  Add the chicken and fry for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add the tomato puree and butter and cook over a low heat, uncovered, for 10 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat, and allow the tomato mixture to cool slightly, then sieve the cooked tomatoes, and discard the cinnamon sticks.  Add the sieved tomatoes to the chicken and place the pan over a medium heat.  Bring to the boil; reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered, for 5-6 minutes.  Add the cream, stir and simmer uncovered for about 5 minutes then serve.