Easy chicken curry

place garlic cloves, fresh ginger, chillis, slug of oil, zest of lemon and half lemon juice in a bowl and blend with hand held blender or similar

Add all dry spices (except cumin and coriander seed). Mix well. This is the basic curry paste and can be made in advance and stored in the fridge.

Heat a large frying pan and toast the cumin and coriander seed. Add the curry paste, a slug of oil and the chopped onion. Simmer for 5 minutes.

dice the chicken and add it to the pan. Cook for further 5 minutes untill chicken sealed on all sides.

Add 1 pint of water and the lentils. Simmer for 30-45 minutes with occasional stirring.

Add the coconut milk and stir it in, add the fresh coriander at the last minute, leaving some for garnish at the time of serving.