cw (08/06/82)
Gaylord's Tandoori Chicken
Ingredients
2 21/2 pound chickens
2 cups plain yogurt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 cup chopped white onion
2 Tbl milk
1/2 tsp loosely packed stem saffron -- may substitute
1/8 tsp powdered saffron
salt to taste
Method
Cut the small wing tips off each chicken. Cut and pull the
skin completely off both chickens. Make brief gashes
against the grain on the meat of the thighs and the breasts
of each chicken; use a sharp knife.
Use a food processor to combine the yogurt, cumin, black
pepper, nutmeg, cloves, coriander, ginger, garlic, cayenne
pepper, cardamom, onion, and salt to taste; process to a
smooth liquid. Put the chickens in a mixing bowl, pour the
liquid over the chickens, turn the chickens to coat them
thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Remove the chickens from the yogurt at least one hour before
cooking. Preheat oven to 500o . Heat the milk in a small
pan and add the saffron. Remove from heat and let stand for
10 minutes. Spoon the saffron mixture evenly over the
chickens. Line a baking sheet with heavy foil. Put the
chickens on the sheet breast up. Bake 20 minutes in the
500o oven. Cut chickens into serving pieces, grill briefly
over charcoal, and serve.
Notes
To use charcoal throughout cooking, split chickens in half
as for broiling; do this just before cooking. Grill
completely on breast side first and then turn and grill
other side.