tandoori chicken.

I made tandoori chicken yesterday. I think calling it "tandoori chicken" is kinda misleading cos I didn't cook it in a tandoor since I didn't have one. But then most "modern" recipes call for grilling, roasting or baking... Who am I to say no to that?

So what exactly is a tandoor, you ask? It's a clay oven traditionally used in Indian, Afghan, and Pakistani cooking, according to Mr. Wikipedia. I don't really know how it looks like but after searching Google, I found this:

Image from http://www.tandooronoxford.com.au/

Making the dish was so easy, but the waiting part was harder. See, all you have to do is mix all the ingredients for the marinade and toss in the chicken for eight hours/overnight, but not more than two days. Yes, I am not kidding! It took that long. But all the waiting was worth it. :)

Sorry, the skin was removed.

I got the recipe from some website. Here goes...

1/2 kilo chicken thigh / breast (I prefer fillet)
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or malt vinegar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon peeled and grated or crushed ginger root
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
Vegetable oil, for brushing
Slices of cucumber, red onion, tomato and lemon (I didn't have any),  for garnish


Prick the flesh of the chicken all over with a fork. Then, using a sharp knife, cut slashes in the flesh to allow the marinade to seep in. Set aside.

Combine the yogurt, lemon juice or vinegar, garlic, ginger, cumin, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, cardamom, cloves, black pepper and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir until well-mixed, then pour the mixture in a resealable plastic bag. Toss chicken pieces inside the bag and squish bag, coating all pieces with the marinade. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight, but not more than two days.  Remove the chicken from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking.

Remove the chicken from the marinade, squeezing out excess marinade slightly, and brush with oil. Grill chicken for 6 minutes on each side or until juices run clear.

You can also bake/roast them at a pre-heated oven of 225C for 30-45 minutes or until juices run clear.

Garnish with slices of carrots, cucumber, and tomato.

 

It didn't look as orange as the other tandoori chicken recipes I've seen online, maybe cos the one I got didn't use turmeric or curry for the spices. Maybe I'll try next time. 

And I'm wondering if it'll taste (and look) better had I used tandoori masala. Hmm.