Topic: Sardar Style Chicken Tikka

[Chilli Prawn]

This is a genuine BIR Tikka recipe we have used for some years and is a great favourite with our customers.  I think the basics came from one of my favourite restaurants; The Sardar on London Rd Reading.  I have adapted it for the domestic kitchen oven/grill.   We do not use this Tikka in our CTM or other sauce based dishes because they rquire a more robust Tikka flavour

I don't think it is as tasty as Layne's but nevertheless it is genuine BIR and it works

Ingredients

2 lbs.   chicken legs, thighs or breasts (I prefer boned)
1 tsp   salt
1 tsp   red chilli powder
1 tsp   coriander seeds, roasted, ground
2 tsp   garlic - minced
2 tsp   ginger, fresh - grated
4 tblspn   plain yogurt (full fat ? Greek style is good)
2 tblspn   lemon juice or white wine vinegar
? tsp    black pepper - ground
   vegetable oil or melted butter ghee

NOTE: You can add some yellow food colouring or Turmeric to the marinade paste for the traditional yellow colour of this chicken dish.

Preparation Method
1.   Remove the skin and make 2-3 deep cuts in each chicken piece. cover with     a little salt and extra lemon juice and marinate while you are doing the next bits.
2.   Roast the coriander seeds in a hot cast iron skillet. After cooling, grind to powder.
3.   Mix all dry ingredients with the lemon juice or vinegar and make a paste.
4.   Put this paste onto chicken pieces making sure you push it into the cuts, and leave them for at least 4-5 hours to marinate. It is better if left in refrigerator over night.
Grill method
5.   Rub each piece of chicken with a few drops of vegetable oil. Keep the paste on but smooth off the excess (the Chicken wil broil not grill otherwise)
6.   Grill the chicken on the highest heat until just cooked and there are burnt bits.  You will need to turn the chicken over half way through cooking.  This should take 15/20 minutes max.  Leave meat to rest in a warm oven (80 degrees C) for about 15 minutes before using

Oven method
7.   Put the chicken pieces (with the paste still on it) on to a rack in a tray and cover them with aluminium foil.
8.   Put the tray into a medium oven (350 F) for 30 minutes.
9.   Then remove tray and pour off any liquid. Baste chicken with 2 tablespoons of oil and return to the oven for another 15 minutes until outside of chicken is crispy.   This step (9) can be interchanged with the grill process (5 & 6) but the grill time will be a lot less.
10.   You will need to rest the chicken as in step 6.

As with all cooking, the times will vary between cooking appliances and the quality of the ingredients.  It is better to learn how to test meat by pressing it rather than cutting it open.

We serve this chicken sliced with appropriate accompaniments.  If you are doing Kebabs, the processes are the same but the cooking times are much less.  If you are using bamboo sticks don?t forget to soak them first; if you are using metal skewers make sure they are well oiled.

Happy Cooking
CP

[Unclefrank]

Hi Chilliprawn have you got any pics of the finished dish please.Very intrigued by this recipe.