More tips from my kitchen

What I put into chicken curry:  Onion (lots - it makes the gravy); fresh ginger  (1cm), garlic (2 cloves); bay leaves;  2tsp ground cumin, 2tsp ground coriander, 6 cardamoms (split - very important otherwise if you bite them they ruin the taste of the curry, but if opened will enhance it); 1tsp ground turmeric (not too much or it will be bitter); cloves - not in the picture (forgot to put them on the plate!); star anise (one star is enough); 1tsp salt; as much chilli as you like (the hot part is the bit that joins the pips to the outside - so take that out if you just want the flavour, but DO NOT touch your face and particularly your eyes after touching chilli - wash your hands extremely well. You can cheat by buying it in a jar - high quality pure chilli only.  The fresh coriander is chopped and added to the curry just before serving.

These spices will be enough for a curry for 4. If you are making more, add proportionally.

For lamb curry, leave out the cloves and add a nice blob of tamarind paste or if you do not have any, some apricot jam will do!

Here is a guaranteed way to never cry over your onions again:

No more tears! Fold back skin to root end. Hold as shown and slice down only to about 1.5cm from fold. This will ensure that you do not cut into the section where the root and the bulb are joined. I have not cried since I discovered this!