Savoury,  Spicy

Tandoori chicken and shameless squatters

tandoorichicken
I’ve arrived at the conclusion that our animals need to be brought to heel. When we were first married, someone actually suggested my husband bring me to heel (yes, really :lol:), but don’t let’s go there today. The hens, having been told in no uncertain terms that hoarding is NOT on, have now taken up squatting. I suppose bad habits are never really eradicated, just replaced with other bad habits – they’ll no doubt be smoking and chewing gum next. Unfortunately they are particularly fond of squatting the most comfortable chair on the terrace, the only one we own that doesn’t dig menacingly into your back. Having made Tandoori chicken yesterday, I’m thinking of investing in a Tandoor oven and was wondering whether they would understand the veiled threat 😉 ?
hensterrace
A Tandoor is a cylindrical clay oven, typically found in Central, Western and Southern Asia. The heat source is a wood or charcoal-burning fire and temperatures can reach over 450°C. If you don’t have a Tandoor to hand, obviously a hot regular oven will do.
Ingredients (serves 4)
8 skinless chicken thighs
1 red onion, chopped finely
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
For the marinade :
150ml greek yoghurt
1  piece of fresh ginger, grated
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon chilli powder
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon sea salt
Slash the chicken thighs several times then cover them with the lemon juice and chopped onions. Set aside in a deepish dish. Mix the marinade ingredients together and pour over the chicken, making sure that all bits are well covered. Leave to chill for at least an hour or overnight if possible. Preheat the oven to 220°C. Carefully place the chicken thighs on a lightly oiled baking tray and cook for about 25 minutes, depending on the size of the thighs. They are cooked through properly when the juice runs clear when prodded with a fork. May be served with basmati rice, naan bread, chickpea pancakes (recipe here), or vegetable curry. Delicious with chutney too.

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