This is the first curry I ever learned to make and it's still a household favourite 10 years later. Lovely and fragrant with a rich yoghurt sauce thickened with ground almonds. I like to serve mine with a tangy and sweet green apple raita, coconut rice and naan bread. 

ALMOND CHICKEN CURRY WITH COCONUT RICE AND GREEN APPLE RAITA 

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

ALMOND CHICKEN CURRY
6 boneless and skinless chicken thighs
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, diced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tablespoon garlic, finely chopped
3 teaspoons ground coriander
3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground fennel
1/2 a red chilli, finely chopped - test heat before adding
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup of fresh coriander, stalks finely diced and leaves set aside
1 400 gram tin of whole tomatoes in juice
70 grams ground almonds
50 grams slivered almonds, roasted
3/4 cup of greek yoghurt
1/2 teaspoons garam masala

COCONUT RICE
1 cup of basmati rice
400ml can of coconut milk
1/4 cup of water
3 cardamom pods
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup coconut chips, toasted - optional

APPLE RAITA
1 cup greek yoghurt
1 Granny Smith apple, grated
1 tablespoon mustard seeds

METHOD

ALMOND CHICKEN CURRY
Cut chicken into 2.5cm chunks. Place the olive oil in a heavy based pot and bring to a medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and ginger and reduce the heat. Let it cook for 5 minutes, onion should not brown only sweat. Add the ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, fennel and chilli and continue to cook for two minutes. If the spices begin to catch and burn reduce the heat even more and add a little water. 

Increase the heat to medium and add the chicken, let it cook for 4 minutes or until just cooked through. Add the fresh coriander stalks, salt and tinned tomatoes and stir until chicken is completely coated in the tomatoey sauce. Place the lid on the pot and reduce the heat to low. Let this simmer for 40 minutes. 

Once cooked through add the ground almonds and greek yoghurt. Cook for a further 3 minutes then add the garam masala.

Top with roasted slivered almonds and coriander leaves to serve. 

COCONUT RICE
Add the rice, coconut milk, water, salt and cardamom pods to a pot with a lid and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook for 10 - 15 minutes, making sure that the rice isn't catching and burning on the bottom. Rice will be ready when all the moisture has been absorbed and small holes appear in the surface of the rice. use a fork to fluff it up. Remove the cardamom pods and add the toasted coconut chips to serve.  

APPLE RAITA
Squeeze any juice out of the grated apple and place in a bowl with the yoghurt. Dry fry the mustard seeds on a medium heat, when they begin to pop remove them from the heat and add to raita.