Budget Chicken Curry
EASIER THAN TAKEAWAY!

First up, let's get the rice sorted. Grab a medium saucepan (about 2L capacity). Add 1 cup of basmati rice and 2 cups of water. Bring it to a boil over high heat, then immediately drop the heat to low, put the lid on, and cook for 12 minutes. Don't lift the lid, no peeking! Once 12 minutes is up, turn off the heat and leave it with the lid on for another 10 minutes. This makes it super fluffy.

While the rice is doing its thing, let's get serious about the curry base. Peel and finely chop your brown onion. For the garlic and ginger, you can finely chop them too, or if you're lazy (no judgement here), use a grater or a garlic press. Keep fingers tucked in, go slow with the knife.

Grab a large pan or pot (like a big frypan or a saucepan). Add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and heat it over medium heat. Once it shimmers a bit (looks wavy), chuck in your chopped onion. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it's soft and see-through. This sweetness is key for flavour.

Add your chopped garlic and ginger to the pan. Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until you can smell them. Don't let them burn, burnt garlic is a sad garlic.

Now, the star of the show! Add 2 tablespoons of curry powder to the pan. Stir it around with the onion, garlic, and ginger for about 1 minute. It'll smell amazing and get a bit pasty – this 'toasting' unlocks the flavour.

Time for the chicken! Add your 400g of chicken breast stir-fry strips to the pan. Stir it well to coat the chicken in that awesome spice mixture. Cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring, until the chicken is mostly white on the outside. Don't worry if it's not cooked through, it'll finish in the sauce.

Pour in the 400g can of diced tomatoes and 200mL of coconut milk. Give it a good stir. Add 0.5 teaspoon of salt and 0.25 teaspoon of pepper. Bring the curry to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, put a lid on (if you have one, if not, no biggie), and let it simmer for 15 minutes. This lets all the flavours get to know each other.

After 15 minutes, give it a stir. The chicken should be cooked through. Crucial safety warning: ensure chicken is cooked to 75°C internal temperature. If you don't have a thermometer, cut into the thickest piece; juices should run clear and the meat should be opaque all the way through, no pink bits!

Your rice should be ready by now. Fluff it with a fork. Serve a mountain of fluffy rice, then spoon heaps of your epic chicken curry over the top. If you've got fresh coriander, chop it roughly and sprinkle it on for a bit of oomph (optional, but looks fancy).

Eat up, champion! You just made a delicious Indian curry from scratch.