Anyone who’s had good Indian food becomes a life-long convert; there’s some kind of alchemy at play in the fresh-ground spices used in dishes like Saag or Vindaloo. One walks home feeling warm, giddy and almost utterly satisfied. Almost? Well, any good Indian restaurant is going to charge at least $12 for a scant portion of a dish. Most of them charge for rice, too! Being the gastronomically adventurous cheapskate that I am, I’ve attempted to adapt one such dish, Tandoori Chicken, to my own very white, German-American kitchen.
The dish gets its name from a tandoor, a kind of clay oven used in traditional preparation, giving the chicken a crispy exterior and moist interior. As I don’t have one, I used the beautifully American charcoal grill.
1 lb chicken – breasts, tenderloins, legs, whatever you prefer
1 lemon’s juice
3 tbsp plain yogurt, heaping (I used non-fat)
3-4 minced cloves garlic
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ginger – I used ground…you could probably use fresh minced, in which case I’d probably use the same amount
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp olive oil – this is if you’re using skinless white meat
1/2 tsp cayenne or to taste
2-3 dashes salt
Black pepper to taste
Paprika to color
In whatever vessel you intend to marinate in, juice your lemon. Add all spices/liquids except for paprika, mix well. Add paprika until the marinade becomes whatever color of the rainbow you’re comfortable with it being- to me paprika tastes like nothing so I wouldn’t worry about using a whole lot. Add chicken and make sure the pieces are drenched in the mixture. Marinate for one to three hours (that amount of acidic yogurt and lemon juice might start to cook the chicken itself if left any longer)
Grill until you have some nice grill marks, turn, repeat. You could use a broiler but I guarantee you it won’t be as good. The first time you think to yourself, “I wonder if it’s done,” it’s probably OK to remove your chicken from the fire. It’ll cook a little bit after you take it off the heat. Dry grilled meats make me cry.
Serve with a little bit of cilantro and whatever side you want.
by Chris Middleman
