Chicken with Whole Spices
This tastes authentically
Indian, but with an added 'home-made' freshness that is so often lacking in
Indian restaurants.
Serves : 4
Ingredients:
1 x 4lb /
1.8kg Chicken, cut into 8 pieces
2 Cloves Garlic,
crushed
1 Heaped tsp
Ground Ginger, or 1 Level Dessertspoon
Grated Fresh Root Ginger
2 Level tsp Ground Turmeric
1½ tbsp Groundnut or Other Flavourless Oil
Salt and Freshly
Milled Black Pepper
FOR THE SPICE SAUCE:
¾ Level tsp Whole Cumin Seeds
1 Level tsp Whole
Coriander Seeds
8 Whole Cardamom Pods
1oz / 25g Butter
½ tbsp Groundnut or Other Flavourless Oil
2 Onions, very
finely chopped or minced
1 Medium Green Pepper,
de-seeded and finely chopped
2 Dried Red
Chillies, de-seeded and very finely chopped
1 Bay Leaf,
crumbled
5oz / 150g Natural
Yoghurt, mixed with 2 floz / 55ml Hot Water
Instructions:
1.
Prepare
the chicken a few
hours before cooking. Arrange the pieces in an oblong roasting tin.
2.
In a small
bowl mix together the crushed garlic, ground ginger and turmeric with the groundnut oil.
3.
Now, with
a sharp knife, make several incisions in the chicken pieces, season
with salt and pepper, then coat them as evenly as possible with the oil and spice mixture.
4.
Leave in a
cool place (but not in the fridge) so that the flavours penetrate.
5.
When you're
ready to cook the chicken,
pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 6 / 400ºF / 200ºC.
6.
Place the
tin on the highest shelf, uncovered, and cook for about 20 minutes or until the
chicken pieces are
a nice golden colour.
7.
Meanwhile,
prepare the whole spices. First of all place them in a thick-based frying pan
over a medium heat for about 1 – 2 minutes until they turn one shade darker,
tossing them to keep them on the move. This warming of the spices helps to draw
out all the flavour.
8.
Next grind
them and crush finely, either with a pestle and mortar or in a basin using the
end of a rolling pin.
9.
Next, melt
the butter and oil together in a frying
pan.
10.
Add the onion and green pepper, and cook
for 5 minutes.
11.
Now add
the crushed spices, chillies and
crumbled bay leaf,
stir and cook for a further 5 minutes.
12.
Take the
pan off the heat, stir in the yoghurt and water and
add a little salt.
13.
Now pour
this mixture all over the chicken pieces, cover
the tin with a double sheet of foil and bake for 30 minutes with the heat reduced
to Gas Mark 4 / 350ºF / 180ºC, then remove the foil and let it cook for about a
further 10 minutes.
Menu
suggestion Serve with Spiced Pilau Rice and mango chutney.
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