Wow. This is the way to eat chicken. The richness of the yogurt meets the tanginess of the citrus juice and explodes in fireworks of spice. While you’ve got the grill going, throw on some slices of eggplant or fennel or poblanos or leeks, and serve them alongside. Pickled Jalapeno Peppers are just the thing to sprinkle over the top of this if you really want to get your taste buds humming. Basmati rice is traditional, but grits are nice too.
Tandoori Chicken
(serves 4)
1-1/2 cups whole-milk yogurt
3/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup lime juice
3/4 cup minced ginger
1/3 cup minced garlic
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 tablespoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 chicken, cut up
Combine all ingredients and immerse chicken parts in marinade for 24-36 hours. Remove from marinade and grill using indirect heat method on very hot grill (400º-500º) until cooked through, about 45 minutes. (If you like, you can brush on a little olive oil after 30 minutes to brighten up the color.) Smoke is a great addition to this this, but not strictly necessary.
This looks wonderful. If the weather cooperates this weekend, maybe we’ll try it. We didn’t make our usual Valentine’s trek to the Bombay Curry Co. this year because of Jenn’s lunch extravaganza.
I’m still looking for even a hint of my olive oil bottles in the photos.