Tandoori Chicken...Home Made

Ask a north Indian at a restaurant...what would he like to have???

I can bet you a crate full of  live chickens...the answer will be TANDOORI CHICKEN...few Punjabi's are born who can resist the aroma of the "kukkad shukkad"....I say north Indian and then move to Punjabi because ...Tandoori chicken is not a copyright of the Punjabi's anymore and there is nothing more Punjabi than a tandoori chicken....

And how it disappears....before you can say "Cock a doodle doo!!

This bird had the pleasure of being in the marinade for around 12 hours...and a midnight party called for a barbecue ....so the accompaniments were scanty only dressing the chicken with onion in Chat masala and lemon juice...the basics are always AWESOME!!!

Every one has their own secret recipes...I'm spilling my beans here...all of them...chicken needs heat -high to sear it and then ......the heat has to mellow down...for the flavours to burst in your mouth.

The marinade needs acid ..else the meat falls off....and it needs fat...some which its own...so don't throw away all the chicken fat....it only adds to the taste...it melts away and falls on the wood or coal embers or the tray in your oven......

For the 

Tandoori Chicken..... 

you need

1 Chicken approx 1 kg skinned and cut into 8 pieces

1 tbsp hung curd

1 tbsp fresh cream

1 tbsp vinegar

Salt,Red Chili powder,Coriander powder

1 tsp Tandoori Chicken Masala...(Any brand will do...just has the colour and the garam masala)

1 tbsp Kasoori Methi(Dried Fenugreek Leaves)

1 tsp ginger garlic and green chili paste.

Make small cuts on the chicken pieces...to allow the marinade paste to permeate .

In a large bowl mix the hung curd,cream,vinegar,ginger garlic chili paste and spices.

Mix well and add the chicken.

And now ,with your hands mix this well ,ensuring you coat the chicken well and try and stuff the insides with the marinade too.Cover and leave at least 4 hours.You do not need to refrigerate this if you will be cooking soon ,but here in India we tend to play it safe.

Now get your BBQ or tandoor working....high heat...I used AL foil on the grill...because the pieces will stick to the grill.If you can...use a skewer and a tandoor...otherwise your oven will do....

Just placed....

The heat is INTENSE.So you can only turn the pieces once........now we wait for it to cook.Take off the wings first...they cook the fastest.The rest will take maybe a minute or two more.

Looked better when we came inside......and it was over too soon...

You have to wait a few minutes ...for the meat to rest...

Then....
attack.

Try this with your family and friends...The company and the food will be more than enough compensation for all your efforts....

Enjoy our "desi kukkad shukkad" with or without a green chutney...

The green chutney...well that is on the agenda...another day...

And if you have left overs make butter chicken....
http://baketitude.blogspot.com/2011/10/butter-chicken.html
add all the brownie points you earn by feeding your husband nice stuff and ask him to buy you some diamonds!

So what are you baking today????