Tandoori Chicken (my own recipe)
For the first time I tried making the Tandoori mix using my own homemade yoghurt this weekend, I have to say I was so pleased with the results even the kids were eating it saying "Mum what have you done" in between all the "Mmmm's". So if you can, its well worth the effort, I use the EasiYo Yoghurt Maker and for this recipe a made a sachet of the Greek Natural Yoghurt.
Ingredients :
half a litre of good quality natural yoghurt
4 to 5 tablespoons of vegetable oil
4 tablespoons good quality lemon juice or the juice from one fresh lemon
1 tablespoon brown sugar (can be any type it doesnt matter and use normal white sugar if you dont have brown or even honey instead)
2 heaped tablespoons jeera powder (cumin)
1 roundish flat tablespoon haldi (turmeric)
3 heaped tablespoons paprika
1 flat teaspoon chilli powder
1 rounded teaspoon ginger powder OR an inch of fresh ginger finely grated
a bag or tray of 6 to 8 chicken pieces either fresh or defrosted from the freezer (legs or thighs take up the flavour quicker than breasts, this recipe also works with chunky white fish fillets like cod or haddock too)
note : to make more than one tray of about six to eight pieces you do not need to increase the powders, just add a bit more of the yoghurt instead.
Method :
pop everything except the chicken in to a large mixing bowl or saucepan and mix thoroughly with one hand
take the skin off the chicken, gently score across the top of each piece with a sharp knife then pop into the tandoori mix, once all the pieces have been added, massage the sauce into the chicken with your hands
place the whole bowl or saucepan into the fridge and leave for at least two hours minimum, overnight is best for a more intense flavour.
When you want to cook the chicken, pre-heat the oven for about ten minutes on 150ºC (sorry I am not 100% on gas I think its about gas mark 3 but do check as I dont use gas myself) place each piece inside a deep roasting dish and top with any excess tandoori mix
pop the tray in the oven and leave for half an hour or until fully cooked (fish takes fifteen minutes or half an hour from frozen)
straight after cooking time has finished and chicken pieces are ready, lift them out of the tray you've used to cook them in, place on another clean tray, plate or serving dish, sprinkle with finely chopped fresh coriander if you have some and cover with foil (this keeps them tender and stops the chicken drying out)
Serve with what ever you like, we have basmatti pilau rice and salad with some sort of vegetable dish usually, I sometimes take all the meat off the bone and place the chicken in pita breads with salad with a bowl of dal as a side dish.
Enjoy!
note : if you want to do a BBQ with this, wrap each piece in doubled foil and place on the hottest part of the grill for about three minutes, turn over for same amount of time then move to the edge of the BBQ and leave until cooked (usually about 20 minutes) make sure chicken is properly cooked before fully unwrapping and serving though to not risk food poisoning. Fish takes only ten minutes on the BBQ but cook in the same way as the chicken wrapped in doubled foil.