Tandoori Chicken Recipe

Tandoori chicken is one of the most popular dishes in Pakistan. The name ‘tandoori’ simply means cooked in a ‘tandoor’ or a very hot oven, often made of clay. but nowadays you can cook in the normal oven.
The chicken is marinated in a yogurt seasoned with garam masala - garlic, ginger, cumin, cayenne pepper, and other spices depending on the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 1/4 lbs. of Chicken Legs (skinned)
1 tbsp. of Lemon Juice
1 tsp. of Yellow Food Coloring
1/2 tsp. of Red Food Coloring
1 1/2 tbsp. of Corriander (grounded) (Pisa Dhania)
1 tbsp. of Paprika
1 tbsp. of Cumin (grounded) (Pisa Zeera)
1 tsp. of Salt
1 1/4 cup of Plain Yogurt
1 tbsp. of Fresh Ginger (grated)
1 tsp. of Garlic Paste (Pisa Lasan)
1/4 cup of Ghee or Vegetable Oil



Directions:

1) Remove and discard skin from chicken legs, lengthwise. Mix lemon juice, yellow and red food coloring in a cup. Brush chicken with this mixture to coat.

2) Mix Corriander, Paprika, Cumin, and salt in a cup. And sprinkle this mixture over the chicken legs in a shallow glass bowl, turning chicken and spreading spices to evenly coat.

3) Mix yogurt, ginger, and garlic in a small bowl. Pour yogurt mixture over the chicken legs, turning pieces to coat. Marinate, covered, in a refrigerator, turning pieces occasionaly, for 4 to 6 hours. And let chicken legs stand in marinade, covered, at room temprature for 1 more hour before cooking.

4) Preheat oven to 500F. Remove chicken from bowl, shaking off as much as marinade as possible. Place chicken in single layer in a greased shallow baking pan; Brush chicken with 2 tablespoons of ghee or oil. Bake chicken for 12 minutes. Turn pieces over; brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons ghee or oil. Continue baking until chicken is cooked well and tender, (approximately) about another 15 minutes longer or until done.