Hello to you all!

Hope you are all able to enjoy this lovely weather which is a pleasant change. I have just returned from a few weeks in Spain where of course the sun shone every day and as usual I ate too much and am now regretting it as all my Summer clothes are a little tight! The cookery course at the hacienda will be great and our first one starts at the end of October so contact me if you are interested, its great all inclusive value and good for non cooks as well.
I have been busy since my return, I now cook every Weds for a luncheon club run by a local church and I cook for 60 people a two course meal!! Quite a challenge but enjoyable especially to see so many full tummies and smiley faces at the end!
This months recipe takes us to India, I love to cook Indian food and whilst in Kerala had several lessons from the locals who taught me the basics of Indian cuisine, in fact whilst in Spain I cooked Keralan fish curry for a group of artists who were a little apprehensive but were soon scraping their plates with naan bread! The tandoori recipe this month is nice anytime but especially good on the BBQ you can use the marinade for smaller pieces of chicken and when cold tastes delicious ......even in a sandwich or perhaps a pitta bread, and for all you slimmers something tasty and different.
Thank you for your comments as always its always nice to receive them. Happy sunbathing!

Cameliaxx

Indian Summer

Indian cookery conjures up the idea of aromatic curries, warm fresh bread, refreshing chutneys and fluffy grains of rice. With regional divides in flavours, Indian cuisine is a culinary adventure. This month’s recipe is a classic Tandoori chicken, originating from the northern part of India, great on the barbie or cooked in the oven.
The word tandoor means a traditional clay oven fired by charcoal and wood. Tandoori food uses little fat and gets its flavour from the marinade. This recipe has two marinades. Ask your butcher to joint your fresh chicken, if not buy the pieces ready jointed. This is a lovely fresh flavoured recipe complemented by the mint chutney, ideal for a summer’s eve.
Don’t forget I now have my own recipe blog at www.mags4dorset.co.uk online, where I am happy to answer any questions. It’s always lovely to receive your comments.

TANDOORI CHICKEN
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 Fresh chicken, approx. 1.5 kg, skin removed and portioned into 2 breasts and 2 legs

First marinade:

1 tspn red chilli powder
1tspn salt
1 tbspn ginger- garlic paste (you can buy as paste or crush some fresh ginger and garlic
in a processor)
2 tbspn lemon juice
Mix together

Second marinade:

250grm thick plain yoghurt
1 tspn garam masala
100ml vegetable oil
1 tspn grnd cinnamon
1 tspn chilli powder
A pinch of red food colouring (optional)
1 tspn fresh lime juice
Mix together

Some oil and melted butter for basting

Method:
1. Pre heat the oven to 200C/gas 6
2. Make 3 to 4 incisions on each piece of chicken without cutting all the way through.
3. Apply the first marinade and leave in the fridge for 20 minutes allowing the juices to drain.
4. Add the pieces to the second marinade, coating it well, and allow to stand in a cool place for at least 2 to 3 hours.
5. Meanwhile make the mint chutney as below.
6. Skewer the chicken pieces and if using an oven place on a baking tray and cook for 5 minutes, reduce the heat to 160C/gas 3 and cook for a further 15 minutes basting well with the oil/butter mix making sure the chicken is cooked right through.
7. If using a bbq cook for approximately 20 minutes basting and turning making sure the chicken is cooked right through. Or you could start in the oven and place on bbq for final 5 minutes.
8. Baste again and sprinkle with the lime juice just before serving.

For the mint chutney (enough for 4)
100g fresh mint leaves
1 tbspn finely chopped red onion
1 tbspn lemon juice
1 green chilli, chopped and seeds removed
1 tspn salt
1/4 tbspn vegetable oil
2 tbspn Greek-style yoghurt

Method:
1. Bring a small pan of water to the boil, add the mint leaves and return to the boil.
2. Drain the mint leaves and place into a bowl of iced water to refresh them, as quickly as possible, then drain again before placing in a food processor with all the other ingredients and blend until smooth

Serve with a salad of rocket leaves mixed with apple and fresh mango dressed with some oil and lemon juice, and perhaps some warm naan bread.