Vanilla isn’t just for sweets.  It can be used in savoury dishes — usually with vegetables, chicken, pork and seafood. This extremely mild curry has a lingering vanilla scent and is nicely paired with basmati rice

Ingredients 50g grated coconut 50g ground almonds 1 dessertspoon vegetable oil water 3 shallots, thinly sliced 2cm ginger, grated 1 fat clove of garlic, minced 300g tomatoes, chopped 1 handful coriander leaf, finely chopped 1 18cm/7” green chilli, minced 1 pinch vanilla salt 1 25cm vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped 2 tablespoons sour cream 900g boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs, cubed Ground masala: 1 teaspoon garam masala* 2 dessertspoons coriander seeds, ground 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, ground 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/2 teaspoon tumeric

• Combine the coconut, nuts, oil and enough water to form a medium-thick paste; set aside. If you are using whole nuts, put the coconut and nuts into a grinder and blitz until thick, then enough add water until it reaches a tapenade or pesto-like looseness -- you shouldn't need any oil.

• Fry the shallots until light brown in about three tablespoons of oil over med-high heat. Then stir in the garlic, ginger and chilli and fry for about a minute. Tip in the tomato, coriander leaf, ground masala and garam masala, vanilla pod and seeds, vanilla salt and about a half-cup of water. Fry until the tomato melts, turning everything into a paste.

• Add the sour cream and stir until it dissolves. Tip in the chicken and coat thoroughly in the sauce; let the pot come to a boil. Turn down the hob to about med-low, cover the pot and let simmer until the chicken is fully cooked—this will take anywhere from 20 to 35 minutes. Taste for salt.

• Add the coconut past to the mixture and simmer for about 10-15 minutes.

• To serve, garnish with some toasted almond slivers, golden-fried shallots and a few leaves of fresh coriander leaf.
  
  * Ideally you’d make your own blend, but if you have to buy it, try and go to an Indian grocer as they may have different blends available.