FryBoy
New member
It's nearly impossible to duplicate the intense heat of a tandoor, the traditional charcoal-fired deep oven of India. This recipe does a credible job on a standard American-type gas grill. Raita is a traditional cucumber-yogurt dish, sort of a salad or sauce, that tames the heat of the spices.
TANDOORI CHICKEN
FOR THE RAITA:
1 cucumber
1 cup plain yogurt
¼ cup chopped cilantro (or mint)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
FOR THE CHICKEN MARINADE:
¾ cup plain yogurt
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 2- to 3-inch piece of ginger, peeled & cut in chunks
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
FOR THE CHICKEN:
1 chicken, quartered
Peel the cucumber, halve it lengthwise, then scrape out the seeds. Cut crosswise into thin slices. In a bowl, stir together the cucumber slices, yogurt, cilantro or mint, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
Put the yogurt, lemon juice, oil, the garlic, ginger, curry powder, turmeric, salt and cayenne in container and blend well with wand blender; set aside.
Skin the chicken. Using a very sharp knife, score the chicken meat all around about ½ inch deep at 1-inch intervals. Put chicken in sealable plastic bag, add the marinade, and seal. Massage the marinade into the meat. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or as long as overnight, turning over now and then.
Preheat grill and position the rack about 4 inches above the fire. When hot, turn down to medium heat.
Remove the chicken from bag and wipe off most of the marinade; pour the marinade left in the bag into a small bowl or cup for use later. Spray the chicken well with cooking oil on all sides.
Place chicken on middle of grill rack, and cook over medium heat, uncovered, for 10 minutes, then turn and brush with some of the reserved marinade. Grill for 10 minutes more, then again turn and brush with the marinade. Turn side burners to high and middle burner to medium-low, cover the grill, and cook about 15 minutes longer.
Serves 4
TANDOORI CHICKEN
FOR THE RAITA:
1 cucumber
1 cup plain yogurt
¼ cup chopped cilantro (or mint)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
FOR THE CHICKEN MARINADE:
¾ cup plain yogurt
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 2- to 3-inch piece of ginger, peeled & cut in chunks
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
FOR THE CHICKEN:
1 chicken, quartered
Peel the cucumber, halve it lengthwise, then scrape out the seeds. Cut crosswise into thin slices. In a bowl, stir together the cucumber slices, yogurt, cilantro or mint, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
Put the yogurt, lemon juice, oil, the garlic, ginger, curry powder, turmeric, salt and cayenne in container and blend well with wand blender; set aside.
Skin the chicken. Using a very sharp knife, score the chicken meat all around about ½ inch deep at 1-inch intervals. Put chicken in sealable plastic bag, add the marinade, and seal. Massage the marinade into the meat. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or as long as overnight, turning over now and then.
Preheat grill and position the rack about 4 inches above the fire. When hot, turn down to medium heat.
Remove the chicken from bag and wipe off most of the marinade; pour the marinade left in the bag into a small bowl or cup for use later. Spray the chicken well with cooking oil on all sides.
Place chicken on middle of grill rack, and cook over medium heat, uncovered, for 10 minutes, then turn and brush with some of the reserved marinade. Grill for 10 minutes more, then again turn and brush with the marinade. Turn side burners to high and middle burner to medium-low, cover the grill, and cook about 15 minutes longer.
Serves 4
