Tandoori Paste Food

CHICKEN TANDOORI

Steps:

• Preheat the broiler. Make shallow cuts in the chicken thighs with a sharp knife. Toss the chicken with the lemon juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl.
• Pulse 2 tablespoons yogurt, the vegetable oil, onion, garlic, ginger, tomato paste, coriander, cumin, 11/2 teaspoons paprika and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor to make a paste. Toss the chicken in the mixture and let marinate 15 minutes.
• Place the chicken on a foil-lined broiler pan. Broil, turning once, until slightly charred and a thermometer inserted into the center registers 165 degrees F, 5 to 6 minutes per side.
• Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/2 cup yogurt and 1/4 teaspoon paprika, the cilantro and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Top the chicken with the yogurt sauce and serve with rice, if desired.
• Per serving: Calories 237; Fat 9 g (Saturated 2 g); Cholesterol 115 mg; Sodium 1,266 mg; Carbohydrate 8 g; Fiber 2 g; Protein 30 g

TANDOORI CHICKEN (MADE EASY)

Steps:

• SLICE skinless chicken crosswise against the bone with 2-3 deep cuts through to the bone, (on each side of chicken legs).
• PLACE chicken pieces into a large Ziploc freezer bag for marinating.
• POUR the MARINADE mixture over chicken; REMOVE excess air from the Ziploc bag; SEAL the Ziploc bag; SQUEEZE the bag to roll and coat chicken thoroughly in marinade; PLACE bag into refrigerator to marinate 3-5 hours to overnight if desired for fuller flavor and more tender chicken (recommended but not absolutely necessary).
• PLACE one oven rack in the second-lowest position, and another rack in the highest position; PREHEAT oven to BAKE at 500°F (make sure oven is clean!); LINE a broiler pan with foil; SPRAY the foil liner with non-stick baking spray.
• REMOVE chicken from marination bag; SHAKE away excess marinade from chicken; COAT chicken on all sides with vegetable oil or light olive oil; ARRANGE chicken (bone-side up for thighs) in broiler pan without the grill cover; TURN on the overhead oven fan.
• BAKE chicken 20 minutes on the LOWER oven rack; TURN chicken pieces over tongs; CONTINUE baking chicken on lower rack for 7 minutes.
• SLIDE pan carefully from oven wearing oven mitts; BASTE chicken with oil; PLACE pan onto the top broiler rack; SET the BROILER to HIGH setting; BROIL chicken just until edges begin to slightly char, about 2 minutes.
• REMOVE chicken from oven and allow to cool 5 minutes before serving; SEPARATE sliced onion into rings for garnishes.
• SERVING SUGGESTION: Garnish with sliced white onion, chopped fresh cilantro and serve with fresh lime wedges, fragrant basmati rice, nan bread with mint yogurt sauce (raita), cucumber salad, hot or iced tea or chilled lassi (TO MAKE FRAGRANT EAST INDIAN BASMATI RICE, see Recipe #408115).
• SERVE chicken with desired garnishes and side dishes and ENJOY!

PATAK'S COPYCAT TANDOORI PASTE

Steps:

• Peel the ginger. Chop it coarsely.
• Add the ginger, oil, tamarind paste and water to a blender. Puree. You may have to fight it a bit depending on your blender. Scrape it down the sides if needed. You will get there.
• Toss in the tandoori masala and pulse to combine. Scrape it out into a bowl. Stir in the citric acid. This gives the tandoori paste tang.
• Taste just the smallest amount. It's pretty strongly flavoured. Decide if your tandoori paste needs salt. Some masalas are saltier than others so you have to figure this one out on your own. Choose wisely. Some are way too salty.
• The ginger taste is pretty forward the day you make it. If you can, store it in the fridge for a day before using. This isn't critical though so don't worry too much about it.

TANDOORI MARINADE

Steps:

• Combine all the ingredients except the water and the lemon juice.
• Add water, a bit at a time until you get a consistency like the picture.
• Marinate meat at least an hour and up to 12. Add the lemon juice just before cooking.

HOMEMADE TANDOORI PASTE

Steps:

• Mix all the ingredients together in a deep bowl. Add more water, if necessary, and make a smooth paste.