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Tandoori treats

Try these sumptuous tandoori recipes at home

BARBEQUE BONANZA The masalas used for the marinade matter

The origin of barbeque is interesting. Prehistoric man is said to have dropped a piece of raw meat into a fire and realised it tasted better than raw meat. Thus was born barbeque and tandoori.

The secret of a good tandoori lies in the masala and the spices used to marinate the meat or the vegetable. Here are some tandoori recipes.

Tandoori chicken

Ingredients

Chicken breasts - 12

For the first marinade

Ajinomoto - 1tsp

Juice of two lemons

Salt to taste

For the second marinade

Kashmiri chillies - 100gm

Garlic cloves - 10

Tamarind - 50gm

Cinnamon - 10gm

Cloves - 10gm

Yoghurt - 500gm

Amchoor powder - 20gm

Jalebi colour - half tsp

Ghee - 3tbsp

Salt to taste

Method: Cut each fillet of chicken breast into three pieces. Mix salt, ajinomoto and limejuice together and apply it on the chicken breast. Keep for an hour. Grind the Kashmir chillies, tamarind, cinnamon, cloves and garlic. In a vessel, whisk the yoghurt, jalebi colour and mango powder. Mix the ground masala and salt. Add the chicken pieces and coat them well with the mixture. Keep it for a day in the freezer.

Defreeze half an hour before you cook the chicken. Fix three pieces of chicken in each skewer and place it in a tandoori oven. After 20 minutes, turn the skewer so that both sides are evenly roasted. Keep it for another 20 minutes. Brush ghee on to the chicken for glaze and to improve its taste. Serve with lime wedges and sliced onions over a bed of lettuce leaves.

Tandoori pomfret

Ingredients

Pomfret - 2

First masala

Ajinomoto - half tsp

Juice of a lemon

Salt - to taste

Second masala

Kashmir chillies - 20gm

Garlic paste - 1tsp

Green chillies - 2

Mint leaves finely chopped - half tbsp

Salt to taste

Cinnamon - 5gm

Cloves - 5gm

Yoghurt - 100ml

Mango powder - 10gm

Jalebi colour - half tsp

Method: Clean and wash the pomfret. Make three diagonal slashes on each side of it. Rub the fish with salt, ajinomoto and limejuice. Set aside to marinate for two hours. Grind the second masala and add yoghurt, mango powder and colour to it. Mix well and coat the pomfret with the paste. Keep it in the freezer overnight. Defreeze 30 minutes before cooking. Cook it in tandoori oven about 25-30 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges, finger chips and tomato slices.

Tandoori cauliflower

Ingredients

Cauliflower - 2

Juice of two lemons

Salt to taste

Banana leaves - 2

For the masala

Grated coconut - half cup

Green chillies - 3

Mint leaves - half tbsp

Coriander leaves - half cup

Mango powder - half tbsp

Cumin seeds - half tsp

Garlic paste - half tbsp

Sugar - half tsp

Method: Wash pieces of cauliflower and drain well. Apply salt and lime juice. Place each cauliflower on a banana leaf with florets down and stalk-side up. Fill the gap between the stalk with the ground masala.

Wrap each cauliflower with the banana leaf and tie it with a thread. Roast in a tandoori oven till cauliflower becomes tender (about 40 minutes). Peel off the banana leaves and serve.

LILY BABU JOSE

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