Ingredients

1.2–1.5 kg free-range whole chicken
3 T curry paste
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
½ thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 t garam masala
c t spicy paprika
½ t ground cardamom (optional)
½ t turmeric
½ t ground coriander
½ t chilli powder (or 1 t roasted masala)
1 t freshly ground black pepper
salt, to taste
2 T melted butter
1 T honey
1 lemon, juiced
3 T plain or Greek yoghurt
2 medium onions, quartered
3 medium carrots, peeled and topped and tailed
4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
2 T olive oil
flatbreads or basmati rice, for serving

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C .

2. Pat the chicken dry with paper towel.

3. Combine the curry paste, garlic, ginger, all the spices, butter, honey, lemon juice and yoghurt in a bowl and mix thoroughly.

4. Loosen the skin on the chicken breasts, then brush the marinade over the chicken, under the skin and into the cavity.

5. Place the chicken in a roasting pan, then surround it with the onions, carrots and garlic cloves. Drizzle with the olive oil, then place into the oven on the bottom rack.

6. Reduce the heat to 180°C and roast for 40 minutes, or until the chicken is golden and nearly cooked.

7. Increase the heat to 200°C and roast for a further 15 minutes or until the skin has crisped up and some bits are charred.

8. Remove the roast chicken from the oven and serve with the roast vegetables and flatbreads or basmati rice.

Cook's note: Before spicing the chicken, pat it dry with kitchen paper. This will ensure that the spices and marinade adhere better, which will assist in crisping up the skin during roasting.

It can be served straight out of the oven with warm naan bread or at room temperature with a green leafy salad. If you’re pressed for time, a store-bought curry paste can be substituted for the spices used here. Add the curry paste to the yoghurt, honey and melted butter and use as a marinade for the chicken

Find more curry recipes here.

This is an extract from Curried by Cariema Isaacs. It is published by Penguin Random House South Africa.