Topic: Chicken Tikka - better than the BIRs

[Ghoulie]

I see reference here to yogurt inclusive marinades leaving a coating on the chicken which 'spoils' the result.  Don't know if any of you recall /saw Heston Blumenthals programme on tikka etc (for butter chicken dish I think) where he wondered why Indian chefs use yogurt in their marinade process at all.  He went so far as to to an MRI check on chicken marinaded with / without yogurt in the marinade and found the yogurt took the marinade much deeper into the chicken than without.  I would conclude from that you would be ok in removing any surface 'sticky' yogurt marinade without losing much taste effect if you want to - the flavour has already been taken well into the 'meat'.

[Ghoulie]

don't forget my regional tikka dish (Dubai - Ravi restaurant[Pakistani]) - here

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,8569.msg98090.html#msg98090

[Dubbie]

Hi this recipe looks great I'm going to give it a try. Dose anyone know weather this type of marinade can be made in bulk and frozen and defrosted (before adding to the chicken) or is it some thing that should be made as you want it? Thanks

[Secret Santa]

Yes it freezes well. Just don't keep it in there too long though or you lose the subtle flavours. I've even frozen the raw chicken in the marinade when other things got in the way of getting round to cooking it. Turned out fine when defrosted.

[littlechilie]

Hi this recipe looks great I'm going to give it a try. Dose anyone know weather this type of marinade can be made in bulk and frozen and defrosted (before adding to the chicken) or is it some thing that should be made as you want it? Thanks

Hi Dubbie, I wouldnt freezing the marinade personally, it's so simple to whip up and it's all things that anyone interested in BIR would have to hand.
Keep it simple and fresh and you will get the full benifit from the marinade, freezing will add liquid and that's not ideal for this kind of marinade.
Good luck.

[Stu-pot]

I find it very handy to keep a bag or two in the freezer.  We get home from work, decide weather is nice enough to eat in garden.    Get bag out of freezer and place in tepid/warm water, fire up Tandoor, take a shower, prep salad, skewer up Tikka and straight in Tandoor. Open bottle of wine for my better half, beer for me, take pitta bread out of freezer and defrost and warm through by whichever method I decide at the time.  The only thing that's missing is a really good sauce!  Raita is OK. But I've been looking for something else for ages, any suggestions would be welcomed. 
All this takes me 1 1/2 hours from walking in the door to sitting down, eating, drinking & relaxing.
If I haven't got any chicken tikka marinating in fridge or frozen in freezer, I have on occasion wondered down to the takeaway, ordered the Tikka of which a portion is small and expensive so need 4 portions for the two of us, I always get carried away and buy more than planned cos the BIR aroma hits me and turns me into a complete 'pig'.  While waiting I'd pop next door onto Pub for a quicky.... Before I know it, I'm

[Naga]

...The only thing that's missing is a really good sauce!  Raita is OK. But I've been looking for something else for ages, any suggestions would be welcomed...

Alex Wilkie's Pakora Sauce recipe is the real deal and is simple to knock up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qb_gsLomMuM

PS: I like your tandoor prep routine! Right up my street!

[Stu-pot]

Thanks Naga - looks great, I'll def be trying that...  I might even put a tablespoon in one of my curries!

You never know... It could blow us away with added flavour!

Cheers

[Naga]

Not sure about putting it in your curries, Stu, but it's the dog's in a kebab, burger or just a dip. Without the yoghurt, the kebab sauce has exactly the same translucence as the chilli sauce I would expect from a T/A or restaurant. The yoghurt changes the taste and calms the chilli hit down. I usually have a dish of each for dipping my pakoras etc. Oh, and it freezes well too, so ideal for your tandoor schedule!

[Onions]

...and with barbeque's just around the corner...! Many thanks.