Whole Roasted Tandoori Chicken

Usually, the Tandoori chicken is made with cut up chicken. The original recipe stems from Mumtaz Khan at Mumtaz Paan House in Bradford, England, but has been modified to suit whole chicken. The marinade is quite hot and the amount of chilli can be modified. The recipe is good for 4 servings as an appetizer or 2 servings as a main course.

• Ready In: 5 hrs 10 mins
• Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

• 1 (2 1/2lb)  chicken
• 1  cup  cooking yoghurt (8% fat) or 1  cup  drained standard yoghurt
• 1  large  lemon, juice of
• 1  tablespoon mint
• 2  teaspoons salt
• 2  teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 2  teaspoons sambal oelek or 2  teaspoons  chili paste
• 1  teaspoon paprika
• 1  tablespoon garam masala
• 1  teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2  teaspoons garlic powder
• 1  tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• 2  teaspoons turmeric
•  red food coloring
• 1  tablespoon  vegetable oil

Directions

1. Mix spices and lemon juice.
2. Add yoghurt.
3. Color with coloring to make an intense red/purple color.
4. Add oil.
5. Skin the chicken and tie it up nicely.
6. Make deep incisions all over the thighs and breasts.
7. Put the chicken together with the marinade in a tight plastic bag and massage the marinade with your hands into the incisions.
8. Keep refrigerated for at least 4 but preferably 12-24 hours, turning the bag now and then.
9. Roast the chicken for 30 minutes in 200 deg C/400 deg F oven with grill, turning often and patting with any marinade left in the bag.
10. Raise the temperature to maximum and roast for another 20 minutes. The chicken should be well browned and almost black burnt in color.
11. Serve with lemon or lime wedges either as an appetizer on lettuce leaves or as a main course with rice. In either case, standard yoghurt serves as sauce.