Free Cooking Recipes

Although there are now many variations of this dish, it originated from a north Indian curry, and is always served as a whole chicken with a yogurt sauce. Some recipes also suggest a stuffing of sultanas (golden raisins), hard boiled (hard cooked) egg and onions. Serve the chicken with a vegetable dish and Indian bread, such as chapati.

SERVES 4 TO 6

1 x 1.5 kg/alb chicken, oven-ready
30 ml/2 tbsp lemon juice
5 ml/1 tsp salt
25 g/1 oz ghee or 30 m1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 medium onions, sliced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 black cardamom pods, crushed
15 ml/1 tbsp poppy seeds
5 ml/1 tsp ground coriander (cilantro)
2.5 cm/1 in fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
5 ml/1 tsp chilli (chili) powder
2 pinches ground cloves
1 1/4 cups/300 ml/1/2 pt natural yogurt
60 ml/4 tbsp freshly chopped coriander (cilantro)
GARNISH
1 small cucumber, thinly sliced sprigs fresh coriander (cilantro)
Oven temperature: 200 °C/400 7/Gas 6

Directions:

1. Prick the chicken all over, and rub in the lemon juice and salt. Place in a roasting tray, cover with cling film and leave to stand for 30 minutes.
2. Heat the ghee or vegetable oil in a pan. Saute the onions and garlic until crisp and golden.
3. Stir in the caradamom pods, poppy seeds, ground coriander, fresh ginger, chilli (chili) powder and ground cloves and cook for a further minute.
4. Remove from the heat. Blend in the yogurt and freshly chopped
   coriander (cilantro). Rub the mixture all over the chicken. If possible, leave to stand for 2 to 3 hours (cover and chill in refrigerator).
5. Cook the chicken for 1 to 1 1/4 hours or until tender. Transfer the chicken to a heated serving platter and keep warm.
6. Skim off any fat from the juices in the roasting pan. Place the tin over a
   medium heat and bring to the boil, stirring well. It will thicken slightly.
7. Pour the sauce over the chicken and surround with slices of cucumber and garnish with sprigs of fresh coriander (cilantro).