Kale, Potato and Chicken Curry

I’ve been ill for a few weeks now. Disgusting cold/sinus making all food taste like cotton wool and headaches that make me feel permanently hungover. To try to self-medicate , when I can face eating my food has been getting spicier and spicier. This is one of those foods that feels like it is doing you good but tastes amazing. I’ve added chicken but it’s fine without, you could add some paneer instead or keep it vegan without.

Don’t let the kale put you off. I really only like kale if it is very well cooked with some strong flavours otherwise it just feel like eating irony-leaves .It’s delicious fried with anchovies, chilli and garlic but definitely my favourite way to eat it is in curry.

In texture, the kale is very similar to proper indian (saag) spinach, which is a lot thicker than the standard european spinach leaves. If I don’t have kale,  frozen spinach is something I use a lot,  keeping forever in the freezer and emptied in golf ball sized lumps into the pan.

I make this in the pressure cooker because it is ready very quickly but tastes like it has been simmering for ages.

Potato, Kale and Chicken Curry

Serves 4 with some rice or flatbreads.

• 4 tbsp of oil
• 1 tbsp of mustard seeds
• 1 tbsp of cumin seeds , roughly ground
• 1 tbsp of coriander seeds, roughly ground
• 1 tbsp of garam masala
• 1 tbsp of paprika
• 1 tbsp of tumeric
• 3 green chilli,  left whole
• 2 cloves of garlic,  finely chopped
• 1 thumb of ginger grated
• a large bunch of kale very finely chopped ( I put it in the food processor) or frozen spinach leaves
• 400g of maris piper potatoes , don’t bother peeling and roughly chopped into 1.5 cm sized pieces
• 1 large onion , finely chopped
• 1 (500g) tin of chopped tomatoes
• 300g of chicken thighs ( 4 thighs) ,  roughly chopped

1. Fry all the spices , add the onions, garlic,  potatoes and kale and a tin of tomatoes
2. I cook this in the pressure cooker on high for 20 minutes, but in a regular pan , it would need 40 minutes on a gentle simmer with the lid on and a cup of water added.
3. Once the curry sauce is cooked add the chicken and cook for a further 15 minutes with the lid off , add a little water if it seems to be sticking.