Tandoori chicken, along with the equally delicious butter chicken, is often called the national dish of India. It is ubiquitous throughout North India. In every city, in every town, there are dozens of restaurants serving succulent pieces of tender chicken roasted to perfection in clay ovens, or tandoors. This dish is to India what vodka is to Russians and hamburgers to Americans.
The unique flavor of tandoori chicken can be largely attributed to the tandoor in which it is cooked. This cylindrical clay oven, which is usually between 3 and 4 feet high, imparts its own flavor to the meat. Heat is provided via charcoal or charcoal burned at the bottom. The meat is skewered and placed in the oven for about 7-10 minutes. It is usually served with a spicy mint and yoghurt chutney, onions and a thin bread called a romali roti.
As for the spices, it incorporates all the typical spices of Indian cuisine: red pepper, cumin, dried coriander, turmeric and ‘garam masala’. The best thing about tandoori chicken is its versatility. It is often used in other dishes like Butter Chicken, Chicken Tikka Masala, etc.
Here is a simple tandoori chicken recipe:
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken – 800gms
Red chilly powder – 2 teaspoons (you can find it in Indian stores)
Lemon juice – 2-3 tablespoons
Cumin powder – 1 teaspoon
Salt to taste
Yogurt – 1.5 cups
Ginger paste – 1.5 tablespoons
Garlic paste – 2 tablespoons
Garam masala powder – 1/2 teaspoon (you can find it in Indian stores)
Olive oil – 2 tablespoons (for best results, use mustard oil)
Butter – 2 tablespoons
Cat masala – 1 teaspoon (find it in Indian specialty stores)
Cooking method:
1. Make small cuts in the chicken. This is to allow the marinade mixture to penetrate deep into the meat.
2. Rub a mixture of salt, lemon juice, salt, and a touch of black pepper over the chicken. Let stand for half an hour.
3. For the marinade mix, combine the yogurt (make sure to remove all excess water) with all the ingredients listed above: red chilly powder, ginger garlic paste, garam masala, cumin and oil.
4. Rub this marinade mixture into the chicken. Cover and store in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour (the longer the better).
5. Take out the chicken and let it come down to room temperature. Then skewer the chicken and place it inside a preheated tandoor. If you use an oven, keep the temperature at 200°C/400°F.
6. Cook for at least 8-10 minutes. Use an oven mitt to remove from the oven and butter the chicken. Put back in the oven until done.
7. Serve hot with onion slices, thin bread (romali roti) and mint chutney. Sprinkle with a touch of chat masala if you like.
So there you have it: a simple tandoori chicken recipe. While cooking it on a regular grill or oven won’t be the same as cooking it in a tandoor, it will still taste wonderful. Guaranteed.
