“Roasting the chicken on top of the spice-packed potatoes means you get the full flavour of the juices seeping into the potatoes”

INGREDIENTS

1 large onion
800 g potatoes
4 ripe tomatoes
1 aubergine
1 red pepper
2 cloves of garlic
5cm piece of ginger
½ a bunch of fresh coriander, (15g)
Olive oil
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 handful of curry leaves
1 heaped teaspoon turmeric
6 large free-range chicken thighs, bone in
2 fresh red or green chillies
Poppadoms

Yoghurt Dressing
½ a bunch of fresh mint (15g)
½ a lemon
1cm piece of ginger
150 g natural yoghurt
fresh green chilli

METHOD
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5. Peel the onion, then cut into 3cm cubes with the potatoes, tomatoes, aubergine and pepper. Put the potatoes in a large pan of salted water over a medium heat. Bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes, then drain in a colander and leave to steam-dry for 3 minutes. Tip into a large bowl and mix with the tomato, aubergine, pepper and onion.
Peel and finely slice the garlic. Peel and finely grate the ginger. Pick the coriander leaves and set aside, then chop the stalks. Heat two tbsp of oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, coriander stalks, mustard seeds, curry leaves and turmeric, and cook for 2 minutes, or until fragrant. Leave to one side to cool slightly. Add the spice mix to the veg and potatoes, and tip onto a large roasting tray. Arrange the chicken on top and season.
Roast in the bottom of the oven for 1 hour, or until the chicken is cooked and the veggies are soft.
For the dressing, put the mint leaves into a blender, squeeze in the lemon juice, then peel and add the ginger with the remaining dressing ingredients and a pinch of seasoning. Blitz until smooth.
Top the chicken and potatoes with the coriander leaves. Finely slice and scatter on the chillies, then serve with poppadoms and the dressing on the side.
RECIPE: Jamie Oliver