The Indian - Chicken Tikka

Tikka means pieces, chunks or bits. A very delicious dish in which pre-marinated pieces of chicken are grilled.It is traditionally baked skewers with small pieces of chicken, usually boneless, in a clay based oven called tandoor, after marinating in spices and yogurt.

It is typically eaten with a green coriander & tamarind chutney, served with onion rings and lemons. A very good appetizer dish

Ingredients

• 500g Boneless chicken/ chicken thigh,chicken breast - skinless and off the bone
• 2 tsp ginger paste
• 2 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar
• Salt, to taste
• 1/2 cup thick drained yoghurt
• 1 tsp red chilli powder /deghi mirch
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 3 tbsp oil
• a pinch of tandoori color (optional)
• a pinch of chat masala (optional)

Preparation

Wash and pat-dry the chicken. Press with a kitchen towel. Rub the chicken pieces with garlic, ginger paste, salt, chilli powder, garam masala, lemon juice and oiul. Leave aside for an hour.

Add beaten yogurt and tandoori colour, chat masala (optional). Refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours to marinate the chicken tikka.

Preheat the barbecue or grill and put the chicken pieces on the skewers. Baste with the marinade and cook under the grill or keep the skewers on a greased wire mesh of the barbecue.

Turm them 2-3 times for even browning. Brush with oil, remove from skewer when they are cooked. Sprinkle chat masala.

Serve hot with onion and chilli salad and mint chutney.