Tandoori Chicken

Serves 4-6


Ingredients:

12 chicken drumsticks
⅓ cup (80ml) lemon juice
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
½ cup (125g) tandoori paste
1 tbsp ground cumin
¼ tsp paprika
pinch of chilli powder
1 cup (250ml) plain yoghurt
1 tsp salt
lemon wedges, to serve


Method:

1. Remove the skin from the chicken and make a couple of deep cuts on each side of the drumsticks. Brush the flesh with ¾ of the lemon juice and set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
2. Place the garlic, ginger, tandoori paste, ground cumin, paprika, chilli powder, yoghurt, salt and the remaining lemon juice in a small bowl and mix together until smooth.
3. Place the drumsticks in a large shallow dish. Spread liberally with the spicy yoghurt mixture, cover with some plastic wrap and refrigerate. Marinate the chicken for at least several hours or preferably overnight.
4. Preheat the oven to moderate 180°C (350°F). Remove the chicken drumsticks from the dish and place on a wire rack over a large baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Serve with the lemon wedges and steamed rice or naan bread.

Nutrition per serve:
Protein 25g;
Fat 8g;
Carbohydrate 5g;
Dietary Fibre 0g;
Cholesterol 110mg;
855 kj (205 cal)

Note: To make your own tandoori paste, place ½ onion, 4 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger, 3 teaspoon coriander seeds and 1 tablespoon cumin seeds in a food processor with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of salt. Process until the mixture forms a smooth paste. Combine the spice paste with ¼ teaspoon paprika, a pinch of chilli powder and 1 cup (250ml) plain yoghurt and mix until smooth. Add a few drops of red food colouring and spread the paste over the chicken.