There are many elements that come together to make this a stunning dish. To start with, though it is a Western-style recipe, the chicken is cooked the Indian way in a tandoor. Giving it my favourite flavour profile, a sweet-sour balance, is the date and tamarind reduction. And the Chilli Honey Carrots are just delicious.
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Serves
4
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Cook Time
03 h 00 m
Ingredients
For Chicken Marination
- 2 whole chickens, around 800 gm each
- 200 gm thick yoghurt
- 20 gm rosemary, chopped
- 15 gm ginger paste
- 15 gm garlic paste
- 5 gm chilli flakes
- 60 ml refined oil
- 30 ml honey
- Salt and pepper
For Rosemary Potatoes
- 300 gm baby potatoes
- 50 gm butter
- 25 gm parsley, chopped
- 10 gm rosemary, chopped
- 10 gm garlic, chopped
- Salt and pepper
For Chilli Honey Carrots
- 250 gm carrots
- 30 gm honey
- 20 gm butter
- 10 gm thyme, chopped
- 10 gm parsley, chopped
- 5 gm garlic, chopped
- 5 gm chilli flakes
- 50 ml white wine
- Salt and pepper
For Date & Tamarind Reduction
- 500 ml brown chicken stock
- 150 gm onion, sliced
- 100 gm seedless date
- 50 gm tamarind pulp
- 3 gm garam masala powder
- 20 gm butter
- 80 ml dark rum
- 60 ml port wine
- Salt and pepper
Preparation
For Marinated Chicken
- Clean the chicken whole, without damaging the skin.
- Cut it lengthwise in half through the back spine and breast bone, leaving the left leg and left breast together and the right leg and right breast together.
- With a sharp knife, score the skin and make deep cuts into the flesh beneath, to allow the marinade to penetrate down to the bone.
- Combine the marinade ingredients in a non-reactive mixing bowl and rub the contents onto and into the half-chickens. Marinate in the refrigerator for at least four hours before cooking.
- Just before cooking, pierce each half-chicken with two tandoor skewers side by side to keep the halves from rotating around a single skewer.
- Cook in a hot tandoor till done and nicely charred.
- Alternatively, cook the halves over either a charcoal or gas grill, or even in an oven at 180°C or 350°F till well cooked and charred.
- Remember to frequently baste the chicken with oil and leftover marinade to keep the meat from drying out as the skin cooks and chars.
- Serve hot.
For Rosemary Potatoes
- Wash and scrub the potato skin to get rid of all dirt. Pat dry with a paper towel and cut in half, length-wise, leaving the skin on.
- Combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and generously rub the potato halves with the marinade.
- Spread them out on a baking tray blanketed in aluminium foil and roast in a medium-hot oven, uncovered, for about 20-30 minutes or until golden brown and cooked.
- Keep agitating the tray while the potato cooks. Remove from oven and keep warm till service.
For Chilli Honey Carrots
- Peel the carrots and julienne into thin strips using a mandolin slicer.
- In a pan, sauté the garlic and chilli flakes in butter on medium heat.
- As the garlic browns, add in the carrots and combine well.
- Pour in the wine and cook till most of it evaporates.
- Then add the honey and continue cooking till the carrots are sticky and done.
- Take off the stove, and toss in the thyme and chopped parsley. Combine well and serve warm.
For Date & Tamarind Jus
- Soak the tamarind and dates in cold water for about 10 minutes or till they become soft.
- Make sure there are no seeds. Purée the soaked fruit and water in a food processor till it forms a smooth paste.
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt butter and sauté the sliced onion till light brown in colour.
- Pour the port and half the dark rum into the pan and cook to reduce.
- Add the puréed tamarind and date mixture and cook well.
- Once it all starts bubbling, add the chicken stock, mix well and further reduce for some time.
- When you get the right sauce consistency, tip in the remaining dark rum with garam masala and season well.
- Reduce further for about 10 minutes, take it off the flame and strain with a fine-mesh strainer.
- Hold warm till service.
To Serve
- Place some of the baby potatoes in the centre of a plate. Add some chicken, and garnish with chilli honey carrots and some date and tamarind sauce.
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