EXECUTIVE chief Mohammad Ajaz is responsible for 250 covers at the Maida restaurant in Eanam, Blackburn, and can find himself feeding 400 people at banquets and outside events.

With 25 years’ experience in the kitchens of some of the world’s biggest hotel chains in Asia and Britain, he has chosen his own recipe for the dish that in this country has become as popular as the all-time favourite Chicken Tikka Masala.

CHICKEN JALFREZI
Serves: 2-3
This tasty style of cooking came about in the days of the British Raj in India.
Jal means hot and freizi means fry and the dish is basically stir-fry with a little gravy.
Usually a meat like chicken, lamb or beef is stir-fried with green chillies, bell peppers, onions and tomatoes and then cooked in its own juices.
Spices in a Jalfrezi include coriander, cumin, garam masala and ginger. They can be quite hot.
1 kg chicken — use boneless breasts or thighs diced
into 2 inch pieces
3 tbsps sunflower cooking oil
2 onions chopped fine
3 green chillies slit into half
1 tsp ginger paste
2 tsps garlic paste
1½ cans (420 gms) of diced plum tomatoes (concasse)
2 tsps coriander powder
1 tsp cumin powder
2 tsps garam masala
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp red chilli powder
Salt to taste
1 red, 1 green, 1 yellow peppers cut into 2in
juliennes (strips)
Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed,deep pan. Add the onions and fry till light brown.

Add the green chillies, ginger and garlic pastes and fry for two minutes.

Add the powdered spices - coriander, cumin, garam masala, turmeric, red chilli powder and cook till the oil starts to separate from the masala.

Add the chicken and tomatoes and cook till the chicken turns opaque and is sealed.

Add a cup of water, salt to taste, cover and cook till the chicken is almost done.

This dish should have very little gravy so only add more water if needed to cook the chicken some more.

Add the peppers and mix well. Cook for two minutes and turn off the flame.

Remove from heat, let it rest for five minutes and garnish and serve with pilau rice or naan bread