How to make smoky chicken tikka curry with chargrilled poppadoms

Braaing the chicken gives a delicious smoky flavour to the curry… and, yes, you can cook poppadoms on a braai.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 large thumb ginger, finely grated
• 1 red chilli, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 x 400g tinned tomatoes
• 300ml chicken or vegetable stock
• 4 potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 6 chicken portions
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 x 400g tin coconut milk
• 8 poppadoms
• Fresh coriander, to serve

Place a large fire-proof pot (no plastic handles) on a braai grid over medium-hot coals, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli until soft. Add the bay leaves and spices and toast for one minute until fragrant. Add the tinned tomatoes, stock and potatoes and simmer for five minutes. In the meantime, season the chicken pieces, drizzle with olive oil and place directly on the braai grid. Turn the chicken often to seal it and develop a smoky flavour. Add the chicken pieces to the pot along with the coconut milk. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes stirring occasionally, then season to taste. To cook the poppadoms, simply pop them on the hot braai grid until they start to puff up, then flip them over and cook until completely puffed up and crisp. Serve the curry with the poppadoms, and fresh coriander.