I don't think there is anyone who hasn't heard of Chicken Tandoori. One of the most popular and delicious dish of the Indian subcontinent. My mom used to make tandoori often but with the ready made packet masala. When I got married and started cooking, I too made it with the packet masala.
Few days back, I was searching for authentic tandoori recipe. I found many recipes then I made a summary of all the basic ingredients to create a perfect combination.
I made it for the first time and my family didn't believe it was without the packet :)) Even when I was marinating the chicken, the aroma of tandoori spices made my tummy rumble but I had to wait overnight.
I have baked the chicken but you can alternatively grill/bbq.
First prepare the marinade in a bowl. Mix all the spices and chopped coriander leaves with the yogurt and lemon juice. Red coloring wasn't available in my local supermarket so I didn't use it. You can use it if you want. I like the natural curry brown colour. Marinade atleast 2 hours before baking/ grilling. Overnight marinade is preferred.
Apply melted butter on pyrex dish. Place the chicken pieces in it. Chicken pieces should have slits, this will make the marinade go deeper in the flesh. Pour the marinade on top. Don't forget to turn the pieces over and brush the marinade.
Cover with thin film and refrigerate overnight.
The next day:
To make the zeera (cumin) raita:
Add 1 cup yogurt, 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper to a small bowl. Mix and voilà its ready !!!
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Remove the cling film and cover the dish with foil paper. Bake for 30 mins. This will make the chicken moist and let all the marinade infuse inside the flesh. Then remove the foil paper and bake for 15 mins on one side, slather on the marinade left in the dish. Turn the side of the chicken, again slather on more marinade and bake for another 15 mins. You don't need to brush the chicken pieces with oil, as the marinade already has butter and so does the pyrex dish.
Check with a knife if your chicken is cooked till deep down, the knife should come out clean.
Take a piece of charcoal (not for the bbq method), make it red, put it on a foil paper and keep in the pyrex dish. Pour about a tbsp of oil over the coal and cover the pyrex with the old foil paper used previously. Keep it covered for 10 minutes.
Serve hot with naan and raita. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 chicken cut into 4 pieces with slits
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp garlic
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp coriander leaves
- 1 1/2 tbsp paprika powder
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup yogurt
- 1 tsp red coloring (optional)
- 4 tbsp butter
Directions
- 1In a bowl, add all the spices, yogurt, lemon juice, coriander leaves red coloring (optional) and 2 tbsp butter. Mix till it turns into a smooth paste.
- 2Marinate the chicken for atleast 2 hours. Overnight marination is preferred.
- 3Preheat oven to 180 deg Celsius. Coat the pyrex dish with 2 tbsp of butter. Add the chicken pieces with the marinade coating on both sides. Cover the dish with foil paper. Bake for 30 minutes.
- 4Remove the foil paper. Bake on one side for 15 min and on the other side for another 15 min. Check if it is completely cooked.
- 5Place a piece of hot red charcoal on a foil paper in the pyrex dish. Pour 1 tbsp oil on the coal. Cover the pyrex dish with the previously used foil paper for about 10 minutes. This will give you smoked tandoori.
- 6Serve hot with naan and raita. Enjoy!
