Chef John

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Showing entries for Category: tandoori


Tandoori Chicken – The Busy (Lazy?) American Version

POSTED June 26, 11:06 AM
Chef John - Cooking Examiner
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Tandoori chicken gets is name from the clay oven it is traditionally cooked in, the Tandoor. The chicken is marinated in yogurt and an incredibly complex mix of spices, and then roasted in the extremely hot tandoor oven. The results are one of the world’s great culinary experiences. “Real” Indian Chefs spend hour’s carefully preparing their spices for this dish. Most make there own version of a “Garam Masala,” which translates to “hot spice.” There are literally thousands of variations, but the most common ingredients are; cumin, coriander, green cardamom seed and/or black cardamom pods, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, mace, dried hot chili peppers, sesame, mustard seeds, bay leaves, and turmeric.

To do this properly the Chefs buy the whole seeds and pods of the various spices, they carefully toast and/or roast them, and then grind them right before they are to be used. Some even grind them by hand using a mortar and pestle. Of course, we busy American cooks unfortunately don’t have time for all that (or so we claim), and can buy an already mixed Tandoori spice package. Look for the words “Tandoori Spice” and/or “Garam Masala,” or as my package was labeled “Tandoori Masala.” These spice mixes are available at the major supermarkets (or specialty food stores, if you’re lucky enough to live near a large city), but can really vary in quality. Please make sure you check the label carefully, and that it contains most, if not all, of the spices listed above. Some of the cheaper, lower-quality versions are nothing more than hot pepper and turmeric.


This recipe is from my blog, Food Wishes Video Recipes.

Topics: chicken , spicy , tandoori , grilled