Ingredients | Serves 4 

4x chicken thighs, I used skin on Sutton Hoo thighs, seasoned with chilli salt 

1 tsp each cumin seeds & black peppercorns 

6 cloves garlic

20g fresh ginger, roughly chopped

1 tsp mustard seeds

A few curry leaves (optional)

1 tsp turmeric 

1 large or 2 small dried chilli’s 

Pinch chilli flakes (optional)

1 tin finely chopped tomatoes 

1 litre chicken stock 

2-3 tbsp tamarind paste 

Bunch coriander leaves and stems, roughly chopped 

To serve: rice and black pepper 

Method 

1. Pat chicken dry before seasoning in salt and pepper (I used chilli salt). Place skin side down in a deep saucepan. Turn the heat to medium and let these gradually start to cook and when the skin is golden turn them over and let the other side cook for about 2 minutes. Remove chicken to a plate topped with kitchen towel. 

2. Place the cumin and black peppercorns in a pestle and mortar and crush until almost fine. Add the garlic and ginger and bash everything together until it's a rough paste consistency. 

3. Remove some of the chicken fat if necessary from the pan. Add the mustard seeds and curry leaves and let these cook for a minute, reducing the heat if it starts to spit. Stir in the turmeric, dried chilli, chilli flakes, followed by the tin tomatoes, chicken stock and tamarind. 

4. Return the chicken to the pan, add the coriander leaves and then cover everything. Bring to a simmer and then let this simmer for about 20 minutes on a medium low heat.

5. Remove the chicken and let it cool slightly. Remove the bone and shred the chicken before adding it back into the soup. 

6. Check the seasoning (if it's a little bitter you can add a little sugar), it should be tangy from the tamarind paste, add more if necessary - I like quite a lot of it! 

7. Serve with rice and an extra crack of black pepper.