There I was at a comedy night out. Dressed in clothes two sizes too tight. Laughing until my belly wobbled. Until I saw the dinner menu.

I can only describe it as posh Weatherspoons meets Dallas Chicken and Chips. And nestling among the towers of battered chicken and deep fried tex mex, was a Chicken Tikka Masala. Complete with pilau rice and naan bread. Resplendent in its position as top choice for mopping up the alcohol running riot through 100 hysterical humans.

As you all know, Chicken Tikka Masala has no place my kitchen - self-respecting Indian and weight watcher as I am. Give me a jeera chicken served with some lemony channa (chickpea) salad, any day.

This is what I cooked when my little sis came over from uni mid-week to collect a visa for her next exotic break. I marinated the chicken in two seconds flat before I left for work in the morning and while it cooked in the evening, I made the channa salad.

My sister licked her plate clean, which doesn’t say much as she’s a hungry student. My husband loved it too. That really counts for something.

This recipe serves 3-4:

1 400 gm tin of chickpeas

6-8 cherry tomatoes, quartered

1 small onion, chopped roughly

Juice of half a lemon

Quarter tsp chilli powder

Salt to taste

12 gm (a handful) of fresh coriander, chopped roughly

I a large mixing bowl, mix together the rinsed and drained chickpeas with all the other ingredients. Add salt to taste and enjoy at room temperature.