Duck Madras

To begin, prepare the roasted ground spices. In a large non-stick or sauté pan, roast the spices (starting with the larger ones and adding the cumin halfway through roasting) over a medium heat, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside to cool before grinding into a powder

Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan and flash-fry a few of the curry leaves. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside for garnish

Add the chopped onions to the same oil and sauté until lightly browned. Add the remaining curry leaves, followed by the ginger-garlic paste, ground fennel seeds, turmeric, chilli powder, ground cumin and ground coriander. Sauté for a further minute

Add the duck meat and stir well over a high heat for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes

Uncover the pan, stir well and add some salt and 1 tbsp of the roasted ground spices (adding more to taste if required). Stir in the tomatoes

Cover again and simmer for a further 30 minutes, or a little longer, until the meat is tender (if using duck breast, the cooking time is significantly reduced). Check the seasoning and serve sprinkled with a pinch or two of the roasted spices and fried curry leaves