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Tandoori chicken
Serves 4 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 1.4kg whole chicken, giblets removed, or 4 chicken legs
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1tbsp grated ginger
- 1 green chilli, finely chopped
- 2tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1tbsp mustard or rapeseed oil
- 2tbsp Greek yoghurt
- 2tbsp finely chopped coriander
- 1tbsp smoked paprika
- 1⁄2tbsp amchoor (mango powder, available in specialist Indian shops. If you can’t find it, use sumac or lime zest instead)
- 1⁄2tbsp garam masala
- 1⁄2tbsp dried fenugreek leaves
- 1tbsp ground coriander
- 1⁄2tbsp ground cumin
- 3tbsp Kashmiri chilli oil (see tip, below)
For the bhurani raita
- 400g Greek yoghurt
- 1⁄2tsp black salt
- 1⁄4tsp red chilli powder
- 2tbsp rapeseed or olive oil
- 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2tbsp fresh coriander, chopped
Method
Using a large, sharp knife, cut down through the breastbone of the chicken, prise the bird open and cut down through the backbone so that the chicken is in two halves – each with a breast, leg and wing. Alternatively, you can use chicken legs.
Pull the skin off the chicken and, using a knife again, score the fatter parts of the legs and breast as this will help them cook faster and absorb all the flavours from the marinade.
In a bowl, mix together the garlic, ginger and chilli with the lime juice and oil. Use your hands to rub this all over the chicken, then set aside for 10 minutes.
In a separate bowl, mix together all the remaining ingredients to form a paste, then rub this all over the chicken, too. Cover and marinate for 30 minutes, (or you can refrigerate overnight).
Prepare a charcoal barbecue or preheat your oven to 220C/425F/ Gas 7. If using a barbecue, thread the marinated chicken onto skewers and turn regularly to cook all sides evenly. This should take around 15-20 minutes. Alternatively, arrange the chicken on a grill pan and cook in the oven for around 40 minutes or until nicely charred all over and cooked through. You can test by piercing the fattest part of the chicken to see if the juices run clear – if not, cook a little longer. Rest for 20 minutes before serving. Serve with Bhurani raita (see recipe, below) and a salad.
Tip: To make your own Kashmiri
chilli oil, simply infuse two broken
Kashmiri chillies in a bottle with
250ml olive or rapeseed oil for two
weeks. For a faster infusion, heat
the oil, add the chillies and gently
warm for 15 minutes, then infuse
for a further 15 minutes and strain.
For the bhurani raita
Combine the yoghurt, black salt and red chilli powder in a bowl and whisk well.
Set a small pan over a medium heat. Add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and fry until golden brown. Set aside to cool.
Once cool, set a little aside for
garnish, then add the rest to the
yoghurt mixture, along with the oil
you fried it in. Mix well and serve
topped with the reserved garlic
and the chopped coriander.
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