Tandoori Chicken With Lentil Salad

  • Prep time
  • Difficulty medium
  • Serves 4
cooked tandoori chicken

Ingredients

  • for chicken
  • 2 whole chickens
  • 200ml/7floz yoghurt
  • 2 tsp ginger garlic paste
  • ½ tsp chilli powder
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon power
  • ½ tsp garam masala
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • ½ tsp mango powder
  • ½ tsp dry fenugreek leaf
  • 1 tbsp Besan or chick pea flour
  • 1 tsp saffron water or ¼ tsp edible orange colour
  • 1 tsp oil
  • Salt
  • 50g/2oz melted butter, for basting
  • 1 tbsp chat masala, to serve
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges to serve
  • for lentil salad
  • 200g/ 7oz black chickpeas, sprouted or cooked
  • 110g/4oz green lentil, sprouted or cooked
  • 1 small bunch of watercress or gem lettuce
  • 1 small bunch of baby red chard leaves
  • 1 medium tomato, diced
  • 1 medium red onion, chopped
  • 1 medium cucumber, diced
  • 1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
  • ½ tsp chopped ginger
  • for dressing
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp lime juice
  • salt to taste
  • sugar to taste
  • 1 green chilli chopped (optional)
  • ½ tsp toasted cumin seeds, powdered
  • 1 tsp chat Masala
  • for mint chutney
  • 200g/ 7oz mint leaves
  • 110g/ 4oz coriander leaves
  • 2 tbsp red onions, chopped
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 green chilli
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tbsp vegetable oil
  • 5 tbsp thick Greek yoghurt

Method for chicken

  1. Clean, remove the skin, joint the chicken to separate leg & breast, and remove the all fat.
  2. Make deep incisions - 3 on each breast, 3 on each thigh, 3 on each drumstick.
  3. Whisk the yoghurt in the large bowl, add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
  4. Rub and coat the chicken with this marinade and let it rest for 3-4 hours in the refrigerator.
  5. Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 400°F/ Gas 6.
  6. Place the chicken onto a rack in a roasting tray and roast for approx 15-20 minutes (or on a charcoal grill for about 12 15 minute until cooked).
  7. Preheat the grill to high.
  8. Remove and (if on a grill, hang the skewer) allow the excess moisture to drip off (2-3 minute), then baste with butter and roast under the grill or salamander for 3-4 minute.

Method for salad

  1. Mix all the ingredients of salad and keep it aside.
  2. In a glass bowl whisk all the ingredients of dressing and pour it over salad and mix well.

Method for mint chutney

  1. In a food processor, with the blade running mince the mint leaves with rest of the ingredients, except yoghurt, until very fine smooth consistency is achieved.
  2. Then, whisk in the yoghurt and correct the seasoning.
  3. Keep it in the refrigerator until required.

To serve

Squeeze the lime juice over chicken, dust with chat masala and serve with salad and mint chutney.