A takeaway curry is usually a fatty, salty Saturday night blowout, but this twist on the nation’s favourite, chicken tikka masala, devised by Dale Pinnock – a nutritionist, and the author of Fakeaways – is a healthy homemade upgrade.
Here, the intense flavour comes from nutrient-dense veggies, coconut milk and spices, not butter, oil and cream.
Recipe from Fakeaways by Dale Pinnock (Hamlyn, £15.99)
Sauté the onion, garlic, cinnamon and star anise in olive oil, with a pinch of salt, for 8 mins, until the onion has softened and the spices are aromatic.
Add the tikka masala paste and sauté for another 2 mins. Add the passata and coconut milk (reserving a few tablespoons of coconut milk to garnish) along with the diced chicken and simmer for 20 mins, stirring regularly.
After 20 mins, the sauce should have thickened and the flavours intensified. Serve with pilau rice and the reserved coconut milk.