right 1st time

Regulars may remember I bought Rick Stein's Indian cookbook about a year ago.

I've tried quite a few recipes over the months, with a bit of the gap over the summer months. Dark evenings are here now, so the thought of spending an hour in the kitchen creating something warming and exotic is very alluring.

Tonight it was chicken vindail. It comes from Pondicherry on the southeast coast. It was superb (no false modesty here).

Cheap too - the cost of 4 chicken thighs, 3 tomatoes, an onion and a bit of garlic (quite a bit of garlic, really). By the time you've tried a few recipes, all the spices are in the cupboard already.

The sauce just comes from the juice of the tomatoes and chicken - no stock or water.

Quick to make - an hour from start to finish.

Most of the things I've made from the cookbook have needed a couple of attempts to get it "right", but this one was right first time. Chuffed!

Oh, if you're tempted to try it yourself - best not to eat the star anise or you may get a surprise next morning.