Butter chicken

Step 1: Mix 1 ½ lb boneless chicken thighs with 3 ½ oz thick plain yogurt, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp salt. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or overnight.

Step 2: Heat the grill to its highest setting. Spread the chicken on a foil-lined tray, drizzle with 1 tbsp vegetable oil and grill 8–10 cm from the heat for 12–15 minutes, turning once, until charred at the edges. Check the thickest piece: it should be 165°F/165 °F inside with no pink and clear juices.

Step 3: Meanwhile melt half of 2 ⅛ oz unsalted butter in a pan over a medium heat. Add 3 green cardamom, 3 cloves and 1 ⅛ in cinnamon stick and fry for 30 seconds, then add ½ oz fresh ginger and 4 cloves garlic and fry for 1 minute until fragrant.

Step 4: Add 1 ½ lb ripe tomatoes, the drained 1 ⅜ oz cashew nuts, 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder and ¾ cup water. Simmer over a medium heat for 15–18 minutes, until the tomatoes collapse completely.

Step 5: Fish out the cinnamon and cloves, then blend the sauce until very smooth. For a restaurant-silky finish, push it through a sieve back into the pan.

Step 6: Add 2 tsp sugar or honey and ¾ tsp salt and simmer for 5 minutes over a low heat, until it thickens enough to coat a spoon. Common mistake: skipping the sugar; it's there to round off the tomatoes' acidity, not to make the dish sweet.

Step 7: Add the grilled chicken and any juices from the tray and simmer gently for 5 minutes so it soaks up the sauce.

Step 8: Stir in ½ cup double cream and the rest of the butter. Crush 1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) between your palms over the pan, stir and turn off the heat once it is just bubbling. Swirl over 1 tbsp extra cream and serve with naan or rice.