After seeing a couple of gorgeous tandoori chicken recipes in the blogosphere, I was itching to give it a go. So I got down to it yesterday and wasn't disappointed :)
I was originally only going to marinade for 3-4 hours but to be honest I got lazy feeling (it may have been the second glass of wine) and decided to cook them the next day. I left them in the refrigerator, and the marinade got in nice and deep. It was perfect when I grilled it. Now go invite a few friends over and triple this batch!
Ingredients:
5 lbs. of skinless chicken wings (about 28-30 pieces)
lemon wedges
Harissa Infused Olive Oil or Red Chili Oil for frying
For Marinade:
5-6 garlic cloves, finely minced
1-1/2 inch piece of peeled ginger, finely minced
3 cups plain yogurt
2 small finely minced green chilies
Juice of 1 lemon
3 Tablespoons tandoori paste OR 4 Tablespoons tandoori masala powder (recipe below)
salt and pepper to taste
Masala Powder:
2 Tablespoons garam masala
2 Tablespoons ground cumin
1 Tablespoon ground coriander
4 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons ground dried fenugreek leaves
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon red chili Powder
Instructions: In a large bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients together until smooth and add the chicken wings. Mix well to coat the chicken wings evenly and refrigerate, preferably overnight, but at least 5-6 hours.
After the marinating period, remove the chicken wings and wipe off any excess marinade. Discard the marinade.
The chicken wings can be grilled or baked in the oven. If grilling, cook on medium high until fully cooked. The chicken should be brown on the outside and still tender inside.
If baking, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the chicken wings on a lightly greased, foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle either the Harissa or the Red Cayenne Chili Oil over the wings and bake for 10-12 minutes. Turn the wings over and bake for an additional 10 minutes.
Squeeze fresh lemon juice on top of the cooked wings and garnish with lemon wedges. Serve with yogurt with finely chopped mint leaves mixed into it.