Tandoori Murgh Bukhara Barbecued Chicken Indian Style Food

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.

TANDOORI CHICKEN RECIPE

Steps:

• To a mixing bowl, add greek yogurt or hung curd (thick curd). If you do not have it make your own following the notes below.
• Next add in ginger garlic paste, garam masala, red chili powder, salt, turmeric, kasuri methi, pepper powder and coriander powder.
• Pour oil and lemon juice as well.
• Mix everything well. The marinade has to be thick and not of dripping consistency. Taste it and add more salt and chili powder if needed.
• Make deep gashes over the chicken and add it to the bowl.
• Marinate the chicken well into the gashes.
• Cover and set aside for at least 6 hours. If you reduce the marination time, chicken will not turn soft and juicy. It may not get cooked well if making on tawa.
• Preheat the oven to the highest for atleast 15 to 20 mins. In my oven it is 470 F or 240 C. For the stovetop and air fryer method, please follow the step by step instructions above the recipe card.
• Place a foil on a oven tray to collect the drippings.
• Then keep a greased wired rack on the tray.
• Place the chicken pieces over the wire rack.
• Grill the chicken for about 15 mins.
• For spicy version mix together 1 tsp red chili powder with 1 tbsp oil.
• After 15 mins of grillling, baste the red chili oil over the chicken. You can also baste the left over marinade over the chicken.
• Turn the chicken to the other side and baste the red chili oil or marinade.
• Grill for another 6 to 10 mins or until the chicken is cooked through. You will need to adjust the timing as it depends on size of the chicken pieces.
• The last 5 mins, set to broil mode. Alternately you can move the entire tray with wire rack to the top most rack for the last 5 mins. This gives the charred effect.
• Brush the drippings all over the chicken. This keeps the chicken moist. You can also burn a char coal piece and place it in a small cup. Bring out the chicken tray from the oven and place the cup of char coal in the tray. Cover with a large bowl or foil. Allow it to smoke for 5 to 7 mins.
• Restaurant style tandoori chicken is ready. Serve with this Cilantro Chutney or Pudina Mint Chutney alongside onion and lemon wedges.

BBQ TANDOORI-STYLE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Using a sharp knife, slash the chicken thighs 3 times, going all the way down to the bone - this allows the marinade to get in, and means quicker and more even cooking. If you have the time, toss with the lemon juice and 1 tsp salt in a bowl and leave to marinate for 1 hr.
• Blend together all the marinade ingredients until smooth (add the extra lemon and salt if you skipped the first marinating stage). Pour over the chicken, cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 3-4 hrs (overnight is best).
• Heat the barbecue to a medium-high heat, or heat your grill to its highest setting and line a baking tray with foil. Place the chicken on the barbecue and cook, turning often, for 20-25 mins until charred and cooked through. Or place the chicken on the foil-lined tray and grill for the same amount of time, or until charred on both sides and cooked through. Top the chicken with the butter and leave to melt, then serve with lemon wedges.

TANDOORI MURGH PAKORA (BATTER-FRIED CHICKEN)

Steps:

• Mix all the ingredients for the marinade.
• Add the chicken cubes.
• Mix well.
• Set aside for 2 hours.
• Mix all the ingredients for the batter in a bowl.
• Beat well.
• The batter should have a thick, but flowing consistency.
• Add the marinated chicken cubes to the batter.
• Keep aside for 30 minutes.
• Deep-fry the chicken in hot oil till crisp.
• Place the pakoras on a platter.
• Sprinkle with chaat masala and serve.

TANDOORI MURGH BUKHARA (BARBECUED CHICKEN, INDIAN STYLE)

Steps:

• Combine yogurt, ginger, garlic, lime juice, turmeric, chili powder, salt & garam masala in large plastic food bag. Wash chicken and dry well with paper towels. Place in marinade bag and rotate pieces until completely coated with marinade. Seal bag next to chicken and place in refrigerator, allow to marinate four to 12 hours. Turn bag occasionally to evenly distribute marinade. Remove chicken from marinade and reserve marinade. Place chicken pieces on grill rack over hot coals. Cook, turning occasionally, until juices run clear when meat is pierced with knife, about 25 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.