Nepali chicken curry with tomato and timur

A homely chicken curry from Nepal (kukhura ko masu), built on tomatoes, garlic and ginger with a lemony tingle from timur, the Himalayan cousin of Sichuan pepper. Medium-hot, with a mild portion easy to keep back.

Ingredients

• 800 g Chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into chunks
• 30 ml Vegetable oil
• 3 g Cumin seeds
• 0.5 g Bay leaves
• 2 Onions, finely chopped
• 0.4 Garlic, crushed
• 25 g Fresh ginger, grated
• 3 g Ground turmeric
• 5 g Ground cumin
• 5 g Ground coriander
• 3 g Chilli powder
• 1 g Sichuan peppercorns, toasted and ground (in place of Nepali timur)
• 4 Tomatoes, chopped
• 5 g Salt
• 4 g Garam masala
• 10 g Fresh coriander, chopped
• 320 g Basmati rice
• 0.5 Cucumber, diced

Method

1. Heat the oil in a casserole and fry the cumin seeds and bay leaves until they sizzle.
2. Add the onions and fry until golden brown.
3. Stir in the garlic and ginger for a minute, then the turmeric, ground cumin and coriander. Keep the chilli powder back for now.
4. Add the chicken and fry, turning, until sealed all over.
5. Add the tomatoes, salt and 200ml water. Cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the tomatoes have broken down.
6. Cook the rice in a lidded pan with 480ml water while the curry simmers.
7. Stir in the chilli powder, Sichuan pepper and garam masala and simmer for a final 5 minutes, uncovered, so the sauce thickens. Scatter with coriander and serve with rice and cucumber.