Aaaaaahhh Food

Well earlier today I was bemoaning the fact that I had to write another blog and it is not the writing or sitting down to put something on paper as it were. It is finding something which I find appealing and would like to share with others. So after my initial comment made to my good friend Caroline, she turned to me and stated that you should write about the chicken you cooked. Honest, and it got me thinking, so here it is. One recipe of many.

Those of you who may know me better than others would also know that I'm handy enough around the kitchen and to be honest "Paretos Principal of 80/20" is alive and well in the Brown house hold with Mr Brown doing the much larger share of the cooking, this is actually true. Seldom is a packet opened in this household and where ever possible the freshest of ingredients are used. So today I am going to share with you a dish which is a thing of colour, beauty and taste. I can sense you licking your lips and the mouth salivating at the thought of what is going to follow. Today the main course on the menu is BUTTERED CHICKEN. The days of the Raj are back.

Instead of listing a whole load of ingredients in a column I shall list them as they are needed, its easier on the eye

Marinade the first of two
500g Chicken Breasts
1 Tea spoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
Salt to taste
2 table spoons Lemon Juice

Here we go, cut the chicken into 1.5" cubes and pierce in several places with a fork, place in a large bowl and add the Chilli powder, salt and lemon juice. Mix and marinade for an hour.

Marinade number two
1/2 cup of thick yogurt
2 tea spoons of ginger paste
2 tea spoons of garlic paste
1/2 tea spoon of Kahmiri red chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon of Garam masala
1/2 tea spoon of Mustard oil
Salt.

This is one of those jobs where everything is placed in a bowl and evenly mixed together nothing more nothing less. Once mixed add it to the initial chicken marinade and mix well together. the longer this is left the better the marinade and taste. It is probably best to start the whole process in the morning, using the first marinade for an hour then adding both the marinades together for the remainder of the day in the second marinade. Until you are ready to cook for dinner.

The secret of cooking this chicken is to place it on a wire grill and place the grill in a roasting tin or tray, all the juices fall into the tray. Make sure the chicken is smothered in the yogurt marinade and place it in the oven for 20-25mins. Remove from the oven and devour. This is simple to enjoy with lemon juice sprinkled over it and served with a salad, Nan bread, pitta bread or what ever takes your fancy.

In the next couple of days I will add the recipe for the sauce and beautiful basmati rice. MMMmmm, no boil in the bag substitute here, just the real thing.