Hamsa's tandoori chicken

[dendro]

Recently returned from more than a month in S India. I spent time in Chennai, and Thanjavur, and environs in Tamil Nadu. I was able to sample and really get into the local cuisine. Strictly lacto vegan. The mellow sauce paneer recipes are really toothsome and satisfying.

For any meal, you will be served a large round steel tray covered with small steel cups, like 12 or so. Each cup holds a different recipe, to be eaten on rice piled in the middle of the tray. The meal is accompanied by various thin lightly salted tortilla-like crisps made of grain and legume flours. An amazing array of flavors crashes the senses.

There's usually some curd (yogurt in various stages of sour), a sweet or fruit cup, and an aperitif fancy betel chew/sweetmeat wrapped in a fragrant tasty leaf-really the betel chews are outstanding!).

The overall effect is one of added heat to the body,  as pepper, capsicum and other exotic heaters are used liberally but artfully (nothing is too hot, the cooks use coolers to balance as well).

Back in Maharashtra, I sampled some chicken tandoor, which was interesting. So I got a recipe from a website, and started playing with it. I went to the spice store and grabbed some new stuff.

Thru experiments in marinating and baking, I found a mix quite different from what I sampled in India (and different from any spice I've ever known), but that really brings out and enhances the flavors in chicken (especially the fat) like nothing else. The sour really bites the tongue, inviting you to chew blissfully. Tonight I feasted on tandoori chicken backs, neck, wings, liver and heart, my favorite bits of the bird. With a side of coconut taro. Alright!  :twisted:

I'll post the recipe tomorrow, in case anyone is interested.  :smoke2:

[laughingwillow]

Waiting for that recipe with napkin tucked into the neck of my tee shirt to catch the drool...

lw

[Glider]

I've got a line of chickens here trembling in fear....

[dendro]

My daughter is over for a week with the one year old gbaby, so I finally have time to post this. Oddly, the little guy is drooling like you do, LW.  :lol: G-man, hopefully, the line of birds has had enuff time to be lulled into complacency, and false security.   :twisted:

 One thing I like about the coarse grind coriander is, every now and then you chew into a small piece of softened coriander, and it sheds an amazing flavor with the chicken. And I plan to try this with fresh ginger root one of these days, as fresh always seems to outperform powder ginger IME.

Classic tandoori chicken from India is marinated in yogurt, lemon juice, and plenty of spices, then grilled or broiled. Plan ahead. This recipe needs to marinate at least 8 hours or overnight.

Prep Time: 8 hours, 45 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 (3-pound) chicken, cut into serving pieces, skinned and trimmed of all visible fat
1/2 cup plain yogurt (I use Nancy's organic, which is naturally sour)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or malt vinegar (I use lemon)
1 tablespoon minced garlic (or 1 teaspoon powder)
1 tablespoon peeled and grated or crushed ginger root (I used powder, 1/2 this amount)
1 tablespoon ground cumin (I used a little mexican seasoning instead, not a huge cumin lover)
1 teaspoon ground coriander (We used seeds roughly ground in the blender)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I used 1/2 this amount, ymmv)
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom (I skip this, ymmv)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
Vegetable oil, for brushing
Fresh cilantro sprigs for garnish (optional)
Slices of cucumber, red (Spanish) onion, tomato and lemon, for garnish.

Preparation:

Prick the flesh of the chicken all over with a fork. Then, using a sharp knife, cut slashes in the flesh to allow the marinade to penetrate. Place the chicken in a nonreactive large, shallow dish.

In a nonreactive bowl, combine the yogurt, lemon juice or vinegar, garlic, ginger, cumin, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, cardamom, cloves, black pepper and salt. Stir until well-mixed, then pour the mixture over the chicken and rub it into the flesh, turning the chicken several times. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. (Do not marinate for longer than 2 days.) Remove the chicken from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking.

The chicken may be grilled or roasted. (I tried broiling, prefer  roasted) If using a charcoal grill, prepare a fire for direct-heat cooking. Position the grill rack 5 inches from the fire. Allow the coals to burn until white ash covers them and the heat is moderate.

Remove the chicken from the marinade, pressing lightly to extract excess marinade, and brush with oil. Place the chicken pieces on a well-oiled grill rack and; grill, covered, with the vents open, turning 3 or 4 times, 45 minutes or until the juices run clear when a piece is pierced near the bone with a knife.

If roasting, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan, brush with oil, and cook, turning once, 25 to 30 minutes until the juices run clear when a piece is pierced near the bone with a knife. If no rack, just place pieces in a glass dish. But watch carefully, and don't burn the juices in the bottom. Use a foil cover if you like, until the meat is almost done, then remove and crisp further.

Serve with sprigs of cilantro and slices of cucumber, red onion, tomato, and lemon.

Yield: 4 servings

You can use the spice mix lightly, or really layer it on for an intense hit. A piece of crispy roasted skin, coated heavily with the season mix, is almost a challenge to eat, but strangely compelling.  :smoke2: I like to cook this a little longer than recommended, preferring well done, slightly dry and crispy meats, but then I also prefer the odd and fatty bits, like the tail!  :blaugh:

I hope you like this as much as I do!  :bgeek:

[Glider]

Sounds delicious!

[dissident]

Does anyone here have any other good indian food recipes?  I make chicken tika masala sometimes, but it is a poor imitation of the real thing, no matter what ingredients I experiment with.

[dendro]

I hoped someone would chime in with some info, sorry diss I don't really have any other recipes, I'm just learning too.