Tandoori Chicken

Tandoori chicken is an immensely popular Indian and Pakistani dish consisting of roasted chicken prepared with yogurt and spices. The name comes from the type of cylindrical clay oven, a tandoor, in which the dish is traditionally prepared.

Ingredients:

1.    Chicken, whole 800 grams

2.    Kashmiri red chilli powder 2 teaspoons

3.    Lemon juice 3 tablespoons

4.    Salt to taste

5.    Yogurt 1 cup

6.    Ginger paste 2 tablespoons

7.    Garlic paste 2 tablespoons

8.    Garam masala powder 1/2 teaspoon

9.    Mustard oil 2 tablespoons

10. Butter to taste

11. Chaat masala 1/2 teaspoon

12. Onion, cut into rings as required

13. Lemon, cut into wedges as required

Method:

1.    Make incisions with a sharp knife on the chicken breast, legs and thighs.

2.    Apply a mixture one teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder, one tablespoon lemon juice and salt over the chicken and set aside for half an hour.

3.    For the marinade, tie up yogurt in a piece of cloth and hang over a bowl for fifteen to twenty minutes. Remove the thick yogurt into another bowl. Add the remaining Kashmiri red chilli powder, salt, ginger paste, garlic paste, remaining lemon juice, garam masala powder and mustard oil. Rub this mixture over the chicken and marinate for three to four hours in a refrigerator.

4.    Skew the chicken onto a skewer and cook in a moderately hot tandoor (clay oven) or in a preheated oven at 200°C/400°F for ten to twelve minutes, or until almost done.

5.    Baste chicken with a little butter and cook for another four minutes.

6.    Remove and set aside. Sprinkle chaat masala powder and serve with onion rings and lemon wedges.