Serves 4

Korma is a name given to any curry that is both mild and creamy. Everyone seems to have their own version using a variety of key ingredients, including ground almonds, cashews, toasted coconut or seeds for that characteristic nutty sweetness in the sauce, and adding cream, coconut milk, creamed coconut or yoghurt at the end.

1 large sweet onion, roughly chopped
2.5cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 tsp sea salt
4 tbsp oil
1½ tsp turmeric
1 tsp paprika
3 fresh bay leaves
2 large vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp tomato purée
4 large skinless chicken breasts, quartered
4 tbsp ground almonds
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground cumin
200ml single cream
Small bunch of coriander, leaves roughly chopped

1 Put the onion, ginger, garlic and salt in a food processor and blend to a paste. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple of times. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and carefully pour in the blended mixture. Cover and cook for 15 minutes over a medium-to-low heat. Remove the lid and cook for a further 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently.

2 Increase the heat slightly. Add the turmeric, paprika, bay leaves, chopped tomatoes and tomato purée and cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the chicken pieces and stir to coat in the sauce. Cook the chicken for 10 minutes, turning the pieces occasionally.

3 Mix the ground almonds, garam masala and cumin together. Reduce the heat to medium, then stir the almond mixture into the sauce. Add a splash of water and cook for 5-10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Pour in the cream and heat gently for 3-4 minutes. Check the seasoning, then sprinkle over the coriander. Serve with basmati rice.

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