Spice blend ingredients: turmeric, paprika, sugar, salt, black pepper, cumin, coriander, chillies, black mustard seeds, fenugreek, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cayenne, asafoetida

Ingredients:

• 1 carton Malay East Coast curry

• 2tbsp oil

• 700g/1.5lb chicken, sliced

• 300ml ‘secret sauce’

• 1 can coconut milk

• 1 tbsp fish sauce

• small fresh chillies, finely chopped (optional)

• 80ml white vinegar (coconut if you have it, otherwise ordinary white malt vinegar is fine)

• 1-2 tbsp soft light brown sugar

Recipe:

1. Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the spices until fragrant.

2. Add the ‘secret sauce’, coconut milk, fish sauce, chillies and vinegar, bring to the boil then turn down and simmer for about an hour (this allows the vinegar to cook down).

3. Add 1 tbsp sugar, taste, then add more if you want the dish to be sweeter.

4. 15 minutes before serving, add the chicken and simmer until cooked through. Serve with rice.

Cook's Notes:

• The chicken can be prepared either in bite-sized pieces or cut ‘Thai-style’ - thinly sliced.

• Other variants: sprinkle desiccated coconut prior to serving; add 1 tsp tamarind water or light soy sauce; add a finely chopped lemongrass stalk to the sauce at stage 2.

• For a vegetarian version, use soy sauce instead of fish sauce. Add par-boiled potatoes with diced jackfruit and peppers half an hour before serving.