Chicken cooks faster than red meat and wants a lighter hand. Shan’s chicken masala is blended accordingly, aromatic without the heaviness a mutton blend carries.

Half an hour and you have dinner.

Fry onion, add the masala and chicken, then tomato and a splash of water, and simmer until the sauce clings. Serve with roti or rice. Add yoghurt for a milder version or green chilli for a sharper one.

On the spice shelf at Curry Corner, North Melbourne.