Yup’s Chicken & Spinach Korai (Hot)

Serves 4 Cooking time around 2 hours

Ingredients	Procedure
2-3 tbsp olive oil 4 medium Onions Chopped 1-2 whole star anise	Heat the oil in a large, heavy based pan. Add the onions and star anise and cook over a medium heat, stirring now and then, for 20 minutes until they are soft and a light brown
1 x 400g (140z) Can Chopped Toms 120ml (4fl oz) water 50g (2oz) Fresh Ginger, peeled and chopped 3 cloves of Garlic	Put the tomatoes, water, ginger and garlic into a liquidiser and blend until smooth.
	Remove the fried onions with a slotted spoon, add them to the paste in the liquidiser and blend briefly until smooth.
1 tsp Salt 800g chicken cut into small pieces 2 red peppers chopped in large chunks	Return the puree to the oil left in the pan and add the chicken, peppers and salt. Simmer for 30 minutes, by which time the chicken will be half cooked and the sauce will be well reduced.
1 tsp Ground Turmeric 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder 1 tsp Ground Cumin 1 tsp Paprika 1 tsp Ground Coriander water	Stir in the turmeric, chilli powder, cumin, paprika and ground coriander and continue to cook for 30-45 minutes until the chicken is tender, adding a little water now and then if the sauce starts to stick.
350g (12oz) Fresh Spinach washed with large stalks removed. 3 large red or green Chillies with stalks removed	Meanwhile, put HALF only ie 175g (6oz) of the spinach leaves into a large pan and cook until it has wilted down into the bottom of the pan. Cook for 1 minute, then transfer to the liquidiser and blend to a smooth puree. Add the chillies and 2-3 tablespoons of water to the puree in the liquidiser and blend until smooth.
Remaining half of spinach leaves	When the chicken is cooked, stir in the spinach and chillie puree and the remaining spinach leaves and cook for 2 minutes
3 tablespoons Fresh Coriander (chopped) ½ tablespoon Garam Masala A pinch of ground cumin to serve	Stir in the fresh coriander and Garam Masala. Transfer the curry to a serving dish and sprinkle with a little more ground cumin and freshly cut coriander just before you serve.