Zanzibar was once the biggest producer of cloves in the world and cloves are still a key flavour in the local cuisine. Here they’re used in the fragrant clove masala which is added at the end of cooking to give a lovely depth of flavour. Lots of the food in Zanzibar is spiced up to taste with a fruity chutney served on the side, so we’re making a simple date and tomato version which really brightens everything up as well as adding some extra heat!

Clove Masala: cumin, cloves, green cardamon, coriander, black cardamon, black pepper, ginger, cinnamon, mace, bay, nutmeg, chilli
Chutney Spices: red bell pepper, chilli, mild chilli flakes, garlic
Zanzibari Curry Powder: fennel, coriander, turmeric, cumin, fenugreek, black pepper, nutmeg, cloves

May contain traces of celery, mustard and sesame

• 4 chicken legs or large thighs (skin removed if you prefer) or 2 aubergines cut into bite-size pieces for a veg/vegan version
• 1 large onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• Fresh ginger
• 3 tomatoes
• 1 lime
• 50g pitted dates or raisins
• 200ml full fat coconut milk
• Rice to serve

• Large lidded pan
• Blender