Chicken Tandoori Masala
Spicy tandoor-cooked traditional Indian-inspired dish with rice and raita...
Tandoori masala is a mixture of spices specifically for use with a tandoor, or clay oven, in traditional north Indian, Pakistani and Afghan cooking. The specific spices vary somewhat from one region to another, but typically include garam masala, garlic, ginger, cumin, cayenne pepper, and other spices and additives (e.g. lemon juice ...). The spices are often ground together with a pestle and mortar.
Tandoori masala is used extensively with dishes as Tandoori chicken. In this dish, the chicken is covered with a mixture of plain yogurt and tandoori masala. The chicken is then roasted in the tandoor at very high heat. The chicken prepared in this fashion has a pink-colored exterior and a savory flavor.
Butter, to baste
Pinch black pepper
1-2tsp lemon juice
Salt, to taste
4 cloves garlic
1 ginger
6 fresh green chilies
Handful coriander leaves
Handful mint leaves
200g natural set yoghurt
1tbsp single cream
Pinch red food colouring powder (optional)
150g full-fat yoghurt, Greek style
1 knob unsalted butter
1tsp cumin seeds (whole spice)
4 black peppercorns (whole spice)
2 cloves (whole spice)
1 bay leaf – fresh, if possible (whole spice)
1 cinnamon stick (whole spice)
4 green cardamoms (whole spice)
1 black cardamom (whole spice)
3 small onion, finely chopped
1 ginger, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½tsp turmeric powder (ground spice)
1 heaped tsp coriander powder (ground spice)
1tsp paprika powder (ground spice)
Salt, to taste
Water as required
1 lime, cut into wedges
½tsp vegetable oil
Pinch cumin seeds
2 cardamom pods
Preparation
1. Mix together all the ingredients of the initial marinade and rub into the chicken pieces. Set aside for 15 – 30 minutes.
2. Mix together all the ingredients for the main marinade in a food processor and process until well chopped but not blended. Add the marinaded chicken, mix well and set aside for 24 hours.
3. For the raita, peel the baby cucumbers and roughly chop. Add the yoghurt to a bowl, add the cucumber and mix.
4. Prepare the Masala as follows: heat a large saucepan and add the vegetable oil and butter. Add the whole spices and wait until the spices pop. Then add the onions and thereafter the chopped ginger and garlic and fry until the onions are golden brown. Add the ground spices and stir until blended with the onion mixture.
5. Skewer the marinaded chicken on metal skewers and cook in a tandoor on a medium to high heat for 12 – 15 minutes. Baste with butter once and cook for a further 2 minutes.
6. For the rice, soak the rice for 10 minutes in water, drain and rest. Put the vegetable oil in a pan, add a pinch of cumin seeds, and 2 cardamom pods. Add double the amount of water to the rice, bring it to the boil and add the drained rice. Bring it to the boil and then cook on a low heat. Cover the pan with a tea towel and lid.
7. Add the cooked tandoori chicken to the prepared sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Add more water (or cream) if required to adjust the consistency of the sauce.
8. Serve the chicken hot with the rice and raita and lime wedges.
Leave a Reply
