An Invitation to Indian Cooking - Madhur Jaffrey [61]
1 teaspoon garam masala
¼ teaspoon ground mace
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons olive oil (or vegetable oil)
2 teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼–½ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional, or use as desired)
½–1 teaspoon orange food coloring (use the Spanish bijol, or Indian powdered food coloring, or American liquid kind; its use is optional)
6 broiler or fryer chicken legs
3 broiler or fryer chicken breasts, halved
GARNISH
1 medium-sized onion
2 lemons
Extra lemon juice (optional)
Make the marinade first. Put the chopped onions, garlic, ginger, and lemon juice in an electric blender, and blend to a smooth paste, about I minute at high speed. Place this in a bowl large enough to accommodate the chicken. Add the yogurt, coriander, cumin, turmeric, garam masala, mace, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, olive oil, salt, black pepper, cayenne, and food coloring. Mix thoroughly.
Skin the chicken legs and breasts. With a sharp knife make 3 diagonal slashes on each breast section, going halfway down to the bone. Make 2 diagonal slashes on each thigh, also going halfway down to the bone. With the point of a sharp knife, make 4 or 5 jabs on each drumstick.
Put the chicken in the marinade and rub the marinade into the slashes with your fìnger. Cover and leave refrigerated for 24 hours. Turn 4 or 5 times while the chicken is marinating.
About 1½ hours before serving, light your charcoal. It should take 20 to 30 minutes to get red hot. Place the grill on its lowest notch.
Peel the onion for garnishing and slice it paper-thin. Separate the rings and set in a small bowl of ice water, cover, and refrigerate.
When the fire is hot, lift out the chicken pieces and place on the grill. Cook about 7 or 8 minutes on each side, then raise the grill a few notches to cook more slowly for another 15 to 20 minutes on each side. Baste with marinade as you cook.
To serve: Warm a large platter. Place the chicken pieces on it. Drain the water from the onion rings and lay them on top of the chicken. Quarter the lemons lengthwise and place them around the chicken. The chicken tastes very good with extra lemon juice squeezed on it.
This chicken is considered a delicacy and can be served at a banquet with Pullao, naans, a few vegetable dishes, and onions pickled in vinegar.
Try it also with Rice with Spinach and Yogurt with Potatoes.
Barbecued jumbo shrimp
SERVES 6
This dish tastes best when the shrimp are fresh. If, however, you wish to use the peeled frozen shrimp available in most supermarkets, allow them to thaw completely first. Then squeeze out all the water by pressing between your palms, and marinate after that.
3 pounds fresh jumbo shrimp (you will get at least 40 shrimp)
½ cup olive oil (or vegetable oil)
⅓ cup lemon juice
1 medium-sized onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 whole head of garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
A piece of fresh ginger, about 1 inch square, peeled and coarsely chopped
1–3 fresh hot green chilies (if desired), sliced, or ¼–1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (if desired)
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
GARNISH
2 lemons cut into wedges
Fresh parsley sprigs or fresh dill
Peel the shrimp and devein them. As you devein them, slit their backs three-quarters of the way through and then spread the shrimp out, butterfly fashion. When all the shrimp are done, wash them and leave aside to drain.
In the container of an electric blender, put 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, ⅓ cup lemon juice, chopped onion, garlic, ginger, chilies or cayenne, 1½ teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper, and blend at high speed until you have a smooth paste (20 seconds).
(Note: If you are unsure of your ability to gauge how “hot” it will turn out to be, first blend in half a green chili, then the other half, then a whole, and so on. Taste a drop each time. Remember, though, that once the mixture is spread over the shrimp, it will taste only about half as hot.)
Place the marinade in a nonmetallic bowl. Pat the shrimp dry and put into marinade.