Spice Mix Ingredients: cumin seeds, salt, garam masala (includes cloves, yellow mustard seeds, poppy seeds, black pepper, ginger), coriander seeds, paprika, turmeric, fenugreek seeds, black cardamom, cinnamon

Allergens: see items in bold

Ingredients:

• 1 packet Dhansak curry mix (recipe card included)

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

• 700g/1.5lb chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces or slices

• 300ml/1/2 pint ‘secret sauce’

• 1 can tomatoes, blended till smooth, plus half can water

• Juice 1 lemon

• 120g/4oz red lentils (pre-cooked weight), cooked

• 1 large potato, peeled, diced into 2cm cubes & cooked until just ready to eat

• Half a small cauliflower, parboiled

• 2 big double handfuls (about 200g) fresh spinach, shredded

• 4-5 fresh green chillies, chopped (optional)

Recipe:

1. Heat the oil in a large pan or wok and stir in the spices for a minute or two.

2. Add the 'secret sauce', the tomatoes, water and lentils and bring to the boil. Simmer for an hour, adding the chillies at this stage if using. If the mixture seems too thick add a little more water.

3. Add the lemon juice to taste.

4. Add the potato and cauliflower and cook for about 10 minutes.

5. Add the raw chicken and poach in the hot sauce until it is cooked through.

6. Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted.

7. Serve immediately with rice or flatbread and a scattering of fresh coriander.

Cook's Notes:

• Other vegetables are equally good. Chop an aubergine, sweet potato and/or red pepper into small chunks and cook for about 20 minutes in the sauce before the chicken goes in.

• For the hotter, sweeter Bengali version you might find in your local restaurant, add some chopped fresh chillies and about 100ml pineapple juice (to taste) at stage 3.

• If you want a vegetarian recipe use all the vegetables together and omit the chicken (obviously!).

• Some Dhansak recipes have a mixture of pulses, so you can try mung beans or big green lentils or a combination of any of them.

• Fancy something different? Take a look at our Malabar curry recipe which uses these spices but is a slow-cooked dry lamb curry.