Let’s talk about spices. Please don’t be put off if you don’t have the exact ones I’ve listed here. Use what you have. I love garam masala and I use it all the time, so if you don’t yet have a spice collection, this would be a good one to start with. I also use ground cumin, coriander and turmeric a lot. But a little bit of cinnamon would be lovely in this too, as would some mild chilli powder. No cumin? That’s no problem, just add a little more coriander. Tamarind paste would also be fab. So please don’t stress, you can make this you own by using what you have and what you yourself like. Coconut milk This is the tinned stuff not the stuff you get in a carton. That stuff is great for coffee but we want the thick coconut milk you get in a tin where it’s got some meat to it and is going to give us a rich and delicious texture. You can also use coconut cream if that’s all you have but you will need to add some more broth as you go along, but’s that’s fine! Stock From a cube is absolutely fine! If you have fresh stock that’s great, or homemade stuff, wow - you are a better person than me. All are great, and any will do. Lemon Juice Lemon or lime work equally well. But use the fresh fruit, better not to use anything than the stuff you get in the squirty bottles which I really have never got on board with, except maybe for pancakes, maybe, and even then the fresh stuff is always preferable. It’s such a small amount you may be tempted to leave it out, but honestly the little dash of zing this adds at the end is so wonderful, it’s well worth the effort. Seasoning Seasoning is KEY. Taste, taste and taste again. Seasoning as you go along is so important with cooking as it lets you build up flavour into every layer. You don’t really want to get to the very end and taste it and have to add all the seasoning then. A little and often is the key so it really forms the essence of the dish and isn’t just an afterthought right at the end. I always use Maldon salt, and never table salt (I only use table salt for salting pasta cooking water and that kind of thing) as Maldon is softer and less salty tasting… Always remember it’s very easy to add more salt but it’s harder to take it away so a little at a time and keep tasting. A top tip if you do ever over salt something is chuck in a potato and let it simmer away and will absorb some of the excess. It’s not magic but it helps a little. You can also add more vegetables, rice or pasta which can also help to combat too much salt.