Curry channa and aloo

Step 1: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy pot over a medium heat. Add 1 onion and cook for 4 minutes until soft, then add 6 cloves garlic and 2 tbsp Trinidad green seasoning and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.

Step 2: Mix 2 ½ tbsp Trinidad or Caribbean curry powder and 1 tsp ground geera (cumin) with 5 tbsp of the 3 cups water to a smooth paste. Add it to the pot and fry, stirring constantly, for 3–4 minutes, until it darkens a shade, smells toasty and the oil seeps out at the edges. If it starts to catch, add a splash more water.

Step 3: Add 16 oz potatoes and 1 ¾ lb tinned chickpeas and stir for 2 minutes so they're coated in the curry and lightly fried.

Step 4: Pour in the rest of the water, add 1 ¼ tsp salt and 1 scotch bonnet pepper and bring to a boil. Trinidad's hot peppers (scotch bonnet or the local 'congo pepper') are very hot: seeded and finely chopped gives a steady burn, a whole pepper dropped in and lifted out gives fruity flavour with only gentle heat.

Step 5: Simmer, partly covered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are falling-apart tender. Crush a few pieces of potato and some chickpeas against the side of the pot to thicken the gravy. It should be thick enough to coat a spoon but still saucy enough to soak a roti.

Step 6: Lift out the whole pepper if you used one. Stir in 3 tbsp shado beni (culantro) or coriander and ½ tsp amchar masala, taste for salt and simmer 1 minute more. Serve with roti or rice.