Almost butter chicken and vegetable pies

Instructions

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1 Cut the chicken into smallish pieces and place in a bowl with the yoghurt, spices, lemon juice, ginger and 1 tablespoon of tomato paste. Mix well and marinate for 20 minutes.

2 In a frying pan, heat the oil and fry the onion and garlic until soft. Gradually add the marinated chicken to the pan, stirring frequently.

3 When all the chicken and marinade are in the pan, add the vegetables, remaining tomato paste and brown sugar, then gradually add the lite evaporated milk, stirring frequently. Try not to let the mixture boil as it will split. If it does begin to look 'grainy', don’t worry – it won’t affect the flavour and by the time it’s wrapped in crispy filo, no-one will notice. When the sauce is thick and creamy and the chicken is cooked, remove from the heat and assemble the pies.

4 Preheat the oven to 200°C. Lay out a sheet of filo, keeping the remaining sheets covered with a sheet of greaseproof paper and a damp tea towel. Spray the sheet lightly with cooking spray and sprinkle on a pinch of poppy seeds if using. Fold the sheet in half lengthways and spray again.

5 Place two spoonfuls of mixture at one end and roll over several times. Fold the edges in down both sides and continue to roll, making a compact package. Spray the top with cooking spray and add a few more poppy seeds. Once you have made one or two you will find they are quick to assemble. Place the prepared pies on a greased oven tray and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden and crispy. We serve these with rice, salad and chutney.