Spice of life: Top 8 chicken curries

CHICKEN curry is not a difficult dish to make. With the terrific sauces from Green Saffron or their dry spices, we can short circuit the grinding and frying without compromising taste.

But keeping some whole spices to hand means we can follow a new recipe and experiment with exciting flavours. Just don’t expect them to last forever. Store in an airtight jar for not more than a year. Date the jars — time flies.

Chicken and other meats don’t have to be browned or cooked ahead. Just drop into a heated readymade sauce. I often add some grated carrot, finishing with broccoli or spinach. I also add a can of chickpeas or frozen peas. At the last minute if it still lacks flavour, I add some finely grated ginger and garlic and cook for a few minutes.