TANDOORI CHICKEN AND VEGETABLES
Tandoori chicken gets its name from the vessel in which it’s cooked: the tandoor, a traditional clay oven used to cook food at a very high heat. Although I don’t have a tandoor, I have prepared this dish at home. The longer you marinate the chicken and potatoes, the more intense the flavour. Even after 30 minutes of marinating, the dish is infused with plenty of flavour.
- 5 tablespoons oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon chilli powder
- 1 tablespoon garam masala
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 kg bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (a mix of breasts, thighs, and legs)
- 4 medium potatoes, cut into halves
- cauliflower florets or broccoli florets (any vegetables that you have will do-I used carrots)
- 8 small mushrooms, stems trimmed
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ cup red onion, halved lengthwise, then sliced into thin half-moons
- mango chutney
In a small pan, over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil.
Add the garlic and ginger and fry, stirring continuously, until light brown and fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the chili powder, garam masala, 1 teaspoon of the cumin, paprika, and turmeric and fry, stirring continuously, for an additional minute.
Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, combine the yogurt, lime juice, jalapeno pepper, salt, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, and the spice mixture and stir to combine.
Using a sharp knife, score the skin of each piece of chicken, making two or three shallow cuts about 2.5 cm
apart.
Add the chicken and potatoes to the bowl with the spiced yogurt and massage the yogurt into the chicken until all the pieces are well coated.
Set aside for 30 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate for up to 8 hours.
Set the oven to 180°C.
Place the cauliflower, broccoli and mushrooms in a large bowl. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil, remaining 1 teaspoon cumin, the cumin seeds, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper and mix well.
Arrange the chicken pieces skin-side up on a baking sheet.
Scatter the potatoes in and around the chicken.
Roast for 20 minutes, then remove the pan from the oven and place the vegetables in a single layer in any spaces around the chicken.
Return the pan to the oven and roast for an additional 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and switch the oven to grill.
Sprinkle the red onion over the chicken and vegetables, return the baking sheet to the oven, and grill until the chicken is lightly charred and crispy, 2 to 3 minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve with mango chutney, if desired.
Recipe and photo: Amanda Conradie
