Chicken in Tomato, Black Pepper and Coriander Sauce

This is Alva Carpenter's recipe from her Slim Lines column of the Thursday magazine. I hope you enjoy it!

• Ready In: 1 hr 15 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 4  chicken legs or 4  chicken thighs, quartered and skinned
• 1⁄2  fresh  lemon, juice of
• 1 1⁄4 teaspoons salt, to taste
• 1  inch fresh ginger, peeled,washed,roughly chopped and pureed
• 4 -5  cloves garlic, peeled,washed,roughly chopped and pureed
• 2  medium onions, peeled,washed,roughly chopped and pureed
• 4  tablespoons  pure wesson canola oil or 4  tablespoons  sunflower oil
• 1  inch cinnamon stick, halved
• 4  green cardamoms
• 4  cloves
• 1  teaspoon paprika or 1  teaspoon mild chili powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1  tablespoon coriander powder
• 1  tablespoon black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
• 225  ml  lukewarm water
• 250  g  undrained chopped canned tomatoes

Directions

1. Cut each chicken quarter into 3 pieces.
2. If you are using leg quarters, separate the leg from the thigh and cut the thigh into 2.
3. Apply lemon juice and salt to the chicken.
4. Keep aside.
5. Heat oil in a large pan.
6. Toss in the cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves.
7. Let these sizzle gently on medium flame until the cardamom pods have plumped up.
8. Add the ginger-garlic and onion puree.
9. Stir-fry on medium heat for 6 minutes or until the onion juice begins to evaporate.
10. Lower flame and stir-fry for 4 minutes.
11. Add the paprika or chilli powder, turmeric powder and the corriander powder.
12. Mix well and then stir in the tomatoes.
13. Cook on medium flame for 6 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes, as it cooks.
14. Add the black pepper and the chicken.
15. Cook on high flame until the chicken is tender and cooked{ready to eat}.
16. Add the water, mix well, cover and cook on a simmer for 25 minutes.
17. Remove the cover and cook on medium flame for 8 minutes or until the sauce has reduced and looks like a thick paste.
18. Remove from heat.
19. Serve hot with rotis and/or rice.
20. Enjoy!