Tandoori Chicken

This is a spicy roasted chicken traditionally made in a earthen clay oven called 'Tandoor'. The chicken is marinated for several hours in a spicy yogurt sauce and then grilled to perfection.

Ingredients -
2 lbs whole chicken
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1 tablespoon garlic paste
2 tsp turmeric powder
3 tbsp vinegar
10 tbsps thick yogurt
salt to taste
TANDOORI MASALA - Use store bought tandoori masala or the ingredients below
2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
2 tsp cumin- coriander powder
1 tsp black pepper powder
1/2 tsp red food color (optional)

Method -
1. Cut the chicken into 4-6 big pieces and make incisions on them with a sharp knife.
2. Apply salt, turmeric powder and vinegar to the chicken.
3. In a bowl mix together yogurt, ginger paste, garlic paste, tandoori masala or (garam masala powder, cumin- coriander powder, pepper powder, red food color) and salt
4. Rub this mixture over the chicken and marinate for 6 -8 hours in the refrigerator.
5. There are several ways to cook the chicken
#1. Skew the chicken onto a skewer and cook in a moderately hot tandoor
#2. Skew the chicken onto skewers or arrange the chicken on a baking sheet and grill in a preheated oven on high. Grill the chicken on both sides @ 10 minutes each side or until done (you should see some black grill marks on the chicken).
#3. Cook chicken in a pan on the gas stove on low heat. This method takes longer to cook. The chicken can be grilled later in the oven for 5 minutes for the smokey flavor.

JHATPAT Chicken Biryani

I agree the word "Jhatpat" and "Biryani" don’t go together. But this biryani is relatively easy to make and less complicated than the traditional Kachhi/ Dum biryani. I saw this on some cooking show and modified the recipe slightly to suit our palate. This biryani turned out to be delicious and is a perfect dish to make on those days when you are really busy but want to eat something special. I served it with some yogurt raita.

Ingredients -
1/2 kg chicken (5-6 big pieces)
2 cups basmati rice
1 potato (sliced and deep fried like fries)
1 cup yogurt
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 cup fried onions (sliced and deep fried to golden brown color)
(Note - 3 tbsp fried onions to be crushed into the marinate)
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tbsp Masala #1 (Grind equal quantities of cloves, cinnamon and whole black pepper into a coarse powder. Do not roast the spices)
2 tsp Masala # 2 (Any home made Garam Masala or store bought one will work)
2 tsp cumin -coriander powder
6-8 cinnamon pieces
6-8 whole black pepper
4 -6 cloves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp ginger- garlic paste
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tbsp fried cashewnuts
salt to taste

Method -
1. For Rice Preparation - Rice can be cooked in the rice cooker. If cooked outside, the rice should be slightly undercooked. Divide the cooked rice into three equal portions. Add a pinch of red bush food color/ tandoori color to one rice portion. Mix a pinch of turmeric in 2 tbsp of milk and add this to the second rice portion. Leave the third rice portion white. If you choose to use the rice as is, it will not affect the taste of the biryani. So this step is optional.
For Chicken Marination - Mix yogurt, salt, Masala# 1, ginger- garlic paste and crushed fried onions (@ 3 tbsp) in a bowl. Marinate the chicken pieces in this mixture for 2 hrs.
2. Heat oil in a pan and add whole garam masala (cloves, cinnamom and whole black pepper) and cumin seeds in it.
3. When the cumin seeds splutter, add finely chopped onions and fry them for sometime.
4. Now add marinated chicken and mix well. Cover the pan and cook the chicken.
5. Once the chicken is completely cooked, add turmeric, red chilli powder, Masala # 2, cumin- coriander powder and salt and mix well.
6. Add the cooked rice in to the chicken and mix together.
7. Add in fried potatoes, fried onions and cashewnuts.
8. Add some chopped cilantro and cook the biryani covered for 15- 20 mins.
9. Garnish with more cilantro and serve with yogurt raita.