Tandoori Indian Grilled Vegetables Food

TANDOORI INDIAN GRILLED VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Toss your selection of vegetables with the marinade in the bowl. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Have coals to the stage where they are coated with gray ash.
• Lift vegetables from the marinade (don't wipe it off) and place on the grill without touching each other. Season with salt and pepper.
• Grill slowly, turning with tongs, until lightly browned and cooked through.
• Test by piercing with a knife. Serve hot or at room temperature. Enjoy!

GRILLED TANDOORI CHICKEN

Steps:

• With a fork, prick holes in the chicken pieces. Using a knife, cut diagonal slices 1-inch apart, and 1/2-inch deep into the larger pieces. Place the chicken in a baking dish.
• In a blender, combine the oil, onion, garlic, ginger, pepper, and process on high speed to a paste. Add the paprika, salt, cumin, turmeric, coriander, garam masala, and cayenne, and process until well blended. Add the yogurt and lemon juice, and process to a smooth sauce, scraping down the sides to combine all the ingredients. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Turn to coat evenly, rubbing the marinade into the holes and slits. Cover tightly with plastic wrap, refrigerate for at least 4 hours, and up to 24 hours, turning occasionally.
• Preheat a grill.
• Remove the chicken from the marinade. Place on the grill and cook for 8 to 10 minutes on the first side. Turn, baste as needed, and cook on the second side for 8 to 10 minutes. Turn and continue cooking, as necessary until the chicken is cooked through, but still tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. (Alternately, bake in a preheated 425 degrees F oven on a baking sheet for 35 minutes.)

BAKED (TANDOORI) VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Wash and peel (or scrub) the potatoes.
• Cut into small pieces and microwave them, covered, for about 6 minutes until half cooked.
• Prepare and cut all other vegetables into small pieces.
• Heat the oil in a saucepan on medium heat.
• Sauté cumin seeds, garlic and onions; stir until onions are translucent.
• Put the potatoes and vegetables in a large baking dish.
• Mix in the sautéed spices and the remaining seasonings (except garam masala).
• Bake covered at 400°F until the vegetables are tender (about ½ hour).
• (Stir the vegetables in between and sprinkle water if necessary.) Bake uncovered at 450°F for another 10 minutes to get a roasted look.
• Stir in garam masala.
• Garnish as desired and serve.
• Variation: Stir in 1 tablespoon of butter or clarified butter (ghee) for flavor before serving.
• Microwave Method: Cook the vegetables in the microwave oven, covered, for 10 to 12 minutes.
• Then combine everything else and put in the oven as in step 4 for a roasted look.
• Healthy Alternative: Add a chopped tomato towards the end.

TANDOORI (INDIAN BARBECUED) CHICKEN

Steps:

• 1. Cut the wings off the chickens. Remove the neckbone carefully. Place the chickens on a cutting board and quarter them neatly. Then pull away the skin, using kitchen towels for a better grip if necessary. (Reserve the wings, neck, and skin for the stockpot.) Prick the chicken all over with a fork or a thin skewer. Make diagonal slashes 1/2-inch deep, 1 inch apart on the meat. Put the meat in a large bowl.
• 2. Add meat tenderizer and lemon juice to the chicken, and rub them into the slashes and all over for 2 minutes. Cover and marinate for 1/2 hour.
• 3. Put all the ingredients of the marinade into the container of an electric blender or food processor, and blend until reduced to a smooth sauce. (Alternatively, garlic and ginger may be crushed to a paste and blended with the remaining ingredients.)
• 4. Pour this marinade over the chicken pieces and mix, turning and tossing, to coat all the pieces well. (_A note of caution:_Since certain brands of _Tandoori_cooking tend to stain the fingers, it is advisable either to use a fork to turn the chicken pieces in the marinade or use a pastry brush to spread it over the chicken.) Cover and marinate for 4 hours at room temperature, or refrigerate overnight, turning several times. Chicken should not remain in the marinade for more than 2 days, because the marinade contains a meat tenderizer which, with prolonged marinating, alters the texture of the chicken meat to very soft and doughy.
• 5. Take the chicken from the refrigerator at least 1 hour before cooking to bring it to room temperature. The chicken is now ready to be either roasted in the oven or broiled over an electric or charcoal grill.
• To Roast in the Oven:
• Start heating the oven to 500°- 550°F. Take the chickens out of the marinade. Brush them with _ghee,_and place them on an extra-large shallow roasting pan, preferably on a wire rack. Set the pan in the middle level of the oven, and roast for 25-30 minutes, or until the meat is cooked through. There is no need to baste while the chicken pieces are roasting, because the enclosed environment keeps the chickens from drying excessively.
• To Broil Indoors:
• Preheat the broiler. Brush the grill with a little oil to prevent the meat's sticking. Place the chicken pieces, slashed side up, on the grill, and brush the slashed side with _ghee._Cook 2 to 3 inches away from the heat for 20 minutes. Turn and cook the other side for another 10 minutes, or until the chicken pieces are cooked through. Brush often with _ghee_during cooking.
• To Grill Outdoors:
• Fire the coal well in advance (about 1 1/2 hours before you are ready to begin cooking), so that a white ash forms over the surface of the coal. This is when the coal is at its hottest. Place the grill at least 5 inches away from the heat, and rub generously with oil. Place the chicken pieces, slashed side up, over the grill and brush them with _ghee._Let chicken cook without turning for 10 minutes. Turn, baste the other side, and cook for 10 minutes. Continue to cook, turning and basting the chicken every 10 minutes, until it is done. The cooking time for broiling and grilling usually varies widely. Much depends upon the intensity of the heat and its distance from the chicken. The point to remember is that the chicken pieces have been marinating in a very strong tenderizing solution for two days and therefore will cook much faster than standard broiled or barbecued chicken.
• Serve the chicken immediately, lightly brushed with ghee or oil and accompanied by Roasted Onions.