Hariyali Tangdi kabab} A Succulent Green Tandoori specialty of Grilled Chicken Legs marinated in a blend of Yogurt, Herbs & Spices There are countless varieties and styles of Tandoori cooking. Unfortunately for most, if you have only ever eaten at a run of the mill Indian restaurant here in the US, then you have probably tasted but one or two styles of tandoori cooking - doused in orange food coloring! With this recipe you are in for a welcome refreshing surprise! It is hard to imagine that anyone would sink to their knees in rapturous delight at sight of chicken leg quarters on sale for $0.77 cents/lb. But then most people dont know that these humble chicken appendages are essential to preparing one of the finest fresh herb tandoori delicacies in the North Indian kabab repertoire! - Hariyali Tangdi kababs. A direct translation of this dish - Hariyali Tangdi kabab - are leg (chicken) kababs in an abundance of greens & herbs. Quite honestly, there is no better explanation. In this kabab preparation, skinless chicken leg quarters are marinated overnight or for at least 4 hours in a blend of yogurt, spinach, green bell pepper, bird green chillies, garlic, ginger, mint leaves, red chilly powder & garam masala powder. The enzymes in the yogurt act as a meat tenderizer which is the secret behind achieving super tender & moist meat as a result. Traditionally, these & all North Indian kababs are cooked in a clay oven, known as tandoor. It used to cook everything from a variety of breads such as Naan & Tandoori roti to a vast selection of kababs which are marinated grilled meats, seafood & vegetables. The traditional tandoor is a clay oven fired by charcoal. And despite an advent of modern contraptions it is nearly impossible to achieve the flavor & the aroma that comes from grilling in a traditional tandoor. However, in the modern kitchen, a gas grill, a gas broiler or charcoal grill do manage to produce fabulous results so we just may be able to overlook not having a charcoal tandoor in our kitchens! If you are ever going to begin cooking wonderful mouthwatering kababs at home, I urge you begin with this one. With a whir of a mini-chopper, a little bit of planning for the marination, 20 minutes on a grill or broiler & you will be in culinary heaven. By the way, I do not recommend that you substitute with chicken breasts because they have a tendency to dry out. Hariyali Tangdi kababs are also a marvelous dish to serve at a large party because you can produce massive amounts cheaply & quickly without anyone ever realizing that they are eating economical cuts of chicken as they will be so enthralled by its flavor. Promise! So here goes - In a mini chopper, add the yogurt, mint leaves, roughly chopped ginger, garlic cloves, baby spinach leaves, green bell pepper, lemon juice, bird green chillies, salt, red chilly powder & garam masala powder. Blend to a fine paste, adding no additional liquid. Use fresh or defrosted chicken leg quarters. Remove skin and cut away excess fat. Using a sharp knife, make diagonal slashes on the thigh & drumstick on both sides. Place the chicken in a large non-metallic dish or a zip lock bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Rub thoroughly so the chicken is completed coated with the marinade. Cover & refrigerate for 24 hours or set aside on the counter top for 4 hours. A half hour before serving, fire up the grill or broiler. Gas Grill or Charcoal grill - Oil the grill grate as needed. Heat grill on medium-high heat. Using direct grilling method, cook the legs for about 10 mins/side Broiler (which is the method Ill be using since my gas grill is out of commission - aagghh....Dont ask!) If using a baking stone, heat the stone for at least 10 minutes in the preheated broiler till very hot. Spray the baking stone or broiler pan with some non-stick baking spray. Place the chicken legs on the baking stone a broiler pan in a single layer. Broil for 12 minutes. Brush the legs with some melted butter or ghee and turn over to the other side. Cook for another 12 minutes or until both sides are a delicious brow Remove to a platter and rest for about 10 minutes. The clean intense flavors of the herb infused chicken is refreshing and and at the same time rich and complex. Its like a little flavor explosion with every bite. The kachumbar served on the side, is a refreshing salad of red onions, tomatoes, lime juice & cilantro and it constantly refreshes the palette with each bite and complements the chicken perfectly! Brilliant with Naan, plain roti or tandoori rotis. Helpful Tips from Zander (blog reader & friend) who fixed this (smiles) : 1. Cook the chicken longer then you think. At first was a little under done at the bone. 2. Ghee makes nice fire when mixed with hot coals. Have a water sprayer standing by to kill the flames 3. Breast meat works fine just don’t over cook Recipe for {HARIYALI TANGDI KABAB} TANDOORI GRILLED CHICKEN LEGS MARINATED IN A BLEND OF YOGURT, HERBS & SPICES Preparation time - 10 minutes Marination time - 4 - 24 hours Cooking time - 20 minutes Serves 4 Shopping list 4-6 (large family pack) chicken leg quarters 1/2 cup yogurt 3 garlic cloves 1 piece fresh ginger root 1 cup baby spinach leaves 1section green bell pepper 1/4 cup mint 2 green chillies 2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp red chilly powder 3/4 tsp garam masala 2 tbs lemon juice Preparation - Marinade - In a mini chopper, add the yogurt, mint leaves, roughly chopped ginger, garlic cloves, baby spinach leaves, green bell pepper, lemon juice, bird green chillies, salt, red chilly powder & garam masala powder. Blend to a fine paste, adding no additional liquid. Chicken - Use fresh or defrosted chicken leg quarters. Remove skin and cut away excess fat. Using a sharp knife, make diagonal slashes on the thigh & drumstick on both sides. Place the chicken in a large non-metallic dish or a zip lock bag. Pour the marinade over the chicken. Rub thoroughly so the chicken is completed coated with the marinade. Cover & set aside for a minimum of 4 hours or refrigerate up to 24 hours. Cooking Method - A half hour before serving, fire up the grill or broiler. Gas Grill or Charcoal grill - Oil the grill grate as needed. Heat grill on medium-high heat. Using direct grilling method, cook the legs for about 10 mins/side Broiler - If using a baking stone, heat the stone for at least 10 minutes in the preheated broiler till very hot. Spray the baking stone or broiler pan with some non-stick baking spray. Place the chicken legs on the baking stone a broiler pan in a single layer. Broil for 12 minutes. Brush the legs with some melted butter or ghee and turn over to the other side. Cook for another 12 minutes or until both sides are a delicious brown. Remove to a platter and rest for about 10 minutes. Enjoy!
Posted on: Mon, 11 Nov 2013 18:35:50 +0000
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