Tandoori Chicken & White Bhaji

I’m starting to build up a nice collection of my mother’s recipes.  Mum’s tandoori chicken is well renowned among their large circle of family & friends.  At every party my parents host, there is always a huge platter of drumsticks carefully marinated and grilled to perfection.  In the old days Mum would add a few drops of red food colouring to give it a more authentic colour but we live in a more health conscious time where additives are simply not required and can be happily omitted.  It doesn’t change the taste anyway.

The white bhaji is not like anything you will get in a British Indian restaurant or indeed in your local supermarket.  It is a really refreshing, light, mildly spiced mix of vegetables.  I add potatoes to the mix too if I fancy a change from having rice.  This delicious accompaniment does require a few rarer ingredients that you may not have in your store cupboard but these keep forever and are relatively inexpensive.

For the chicken:

• 320g chicken skinless breast, cut into large-ish chunks
• 300g fat free natural yogurt
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 2 tsp paprika
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1 level tsp mild curry paste such as Pataks

For the White Bhaji:

• 2 tsp sunflower or vegetable oil
• 1 heaped tsp Garam Masala
• ½ onion finely diced
• ½  head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
• Half a pack of fine green beans, halved
• 3 tbsp frozen peas
• ½ tsp minced garlic
• ½ tsp minced ginger
• 400g new potatoes, cubed into small chunks, quarters or 6ths.
• 1 heaped tsp mixed of Mustard seeds yellow & black, Cumin Seeds, Fenugreek seeds
• 2 – 3 mugs of water
• Seasoning

The chicken is best marinated overnight so this recipe does require some forethought.  Essentially you need to simply mix all the ingredients together and toss the chicken so it is coated.  You can use this with skinless drumsticks and thighs or use breast pieces on skewers as I’ve done.  If using pieces then grill for a good 30-40 minutes until cooked throughout.  The breast chunks will take much quicker.  Or you could stick them on the BBQ to get an even lovelier charred taste.

For the White Bhaji, heat the oil in a saucepan and once hot add the seeds.  When they start popping add the.  Once softened add the garlic, ginger and the garam masala.  Next add the potatoes and stir continuously for a few minutes.  Add the water to the pan and simmer for a good 10 minutes until starting to get tender.  Then add the vegetables and a little water if you think it looks a little dry.  Cover with a lid and cook on a moderate heat for another 5-8 minutes until everything is cooked through.  Lastly season to taste.

WeightWatchers ProPoints Per Serving: 12