Chicken tikka masala pie with achar

Start by marinating the chicken. Mix together the yogurt, lemon juice, spices, ginger, garlic and salt. Add the chicken pieces and coat them evenly. Cover the bowl and let it marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour (or up to overnight for more flavor)

Next make the achar. Mix together all the ingredients in a large bowl, so that the spices have coated all of the vegetables. Transfer everything to a pan, then cook for 3–4 minutes, until the vegetables are slightly softened but still crunchy. Remove from the heat and let cool. Store in a jar if not using immediately

For the spiced rough puff pastry, combine the flour, spices and salt. Add the cubed butter and use your fingertips to rub it into the flour until you get a crumbly mixture with some larger chunks of butter still visible

Add the chopped fresh coriander and mix it through the dough

Gradually add 120ml cold water, a tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough just comes together. You may not need all the water

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead it for 1–2 minutes to bring it together into a rough dough. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 35 × 25 cm

Fold the dough in thirds (like a letter), turn it 90 degrees, and roll it out again. Repeat this process 3-4 times to create the layers. After each fold, if the dough is getting too warm then wrap it in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Once the folds are finished, wrap the dough in cling film and chill it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before using

Next, make the filling. Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the marinated chicken and cook for about 7–10 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is browned and cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside

In the same pan, heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil. Add the onion and cook for 5–7 minutes until soft and golden

Add the garlic, ginger and green chili. Cook for another minute until fragrant

Stir in the cumin, coriander, garam masala and smoked paprika. Cook for another minute to toast the spices

Add the canned tomatoes and tomato paste, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally

Using an immersion blender (or transferring to a blender), blitz the sauce until smooth

Add the cream, stir and season with salt and pepper to taste

Return the cooked chicken to the sauce base, and simmer for another 5 minutes. Transfer the filling to a bowl and refrigerate until completely chilled

Next, preheat the oven to 180°C fan

Take two thirds of the chilled pastry and roll it out on a lightly floured surface until it's big enough to line your 23 cm pie dish. It should be about 1 cm thick. Line the dish with the pastry, leaving any excess hanging over the edges

Spoon the chicken tikka masala into the pie dish, packing it down gently

Roll out the remaining pastry until it's wide enough to make a lid. It should be about 1 cm thick. Brush the edges of the pie with beaten egg, and then top with the pastry lid, pressing firmly to seal the two edges together. Use a sharp knife to cut a few slits in the centre to allow steam to escape

Crimp the edges of the pastry together to seal the pie, and brush the top with egg wash

Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and crisp

Once the pie is baked, remove it from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving

Serve the pie warm, with a generous spoonful of the homemade achar pickles on the side