Tandoori Chicken & Mango Lassi Shake

Though we are still in lockdown in the UK, the glorious sunshine has been our only saving grace. It’s this heatwave that inspired the menu for this week’s LIVE cookery class. A spicy, grilled Tandoori Chicken with a tropical, ice cold sweet Mango Lassi shake to wash it down! Sound good? Scroll down for the recipe.

This is my home-style Tandoori recipe – no red food colouring here! I like to do a double marination that results in chicken that is incredibly flavourful at every bite. Oh and the longer you can leave the marination on, the better! I served it with a sprouted moon bean, lime & tomato salad and it went down a treat.

To wash it down, I shared my delicious and easy to make Mango Lassi shake. I personally find this recipe a lot lighter and more refreshing than regular lassi. If you can source fresh South Asian mangoes – lucky you – use them! If not, it’s quite easy to find mango pulp in the “world” section of most of the big supermarkets these days and that works very well too.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you want to watch the live class again, you can do so by clicking here. Don’t forget to let me know your thoughts and share pictures of your recreations on InstaTwitter or Facebook.

Oh and mark your calendars and join me for my next live cook-along class on 12th June. Keep posted to my social media to see what we will be making.

Happy cooking y’all x

Tandoori Chicken & Mango Lassi Shake

Equipment

  • Food Processor
  • Blender

Ingredients
  

For the Tandoori Chicken:

  • 575 g skinless chicken thigh, with 3-4 slits cut into each one I like to use bone in for extra flavour
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt or according to taste
  • juice of 1/2 lime
  • 3 tbsp crispy fried onions optional (usually found in the salad topper section of supermarkets)
  • 2-3 fresh green chillies as per your taste
  • 4 ” ginger cut into small chunks
  • 2 large cloves garlic peeled
  • small handful fresh coriander
  • 3 tbsp Greek yoghurt
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp chilli powder or chilli flakes
  • 2 tbsp oil

To serve:

  • chaat masala optional
  • lime

To make the Mango Lassi Shake

  • 400 ml mango pulp Kesar/Alphonso mango pulp is best
  • 250 ml milk
  • 25-30 ice cubes
  • 2-3 tsp sugar/honey optional, as per your taste

Instructions
 

  • Place chicken in a bowl and add the lime juice and salt. Mix well. If you have time, allow to marinate for 30mins – 1hour.
  • Pre heat grill at the maximum temperature setting and place a wire tray on a foil lined baking sheet and keep aside. Then place the fried onions, chillies, ginger, garlic and fresh coriander in a food processor and blitz until a coarse paste forms (it does not have to be very smooth).
  • Tip this paste onto the chicken. Then add the yoghurt and all of the spices as well as the oil. Mix well and work the marination into the slits of the chicken. Tip – if you can, allow the chicken to marinate for 2-3 hours / overnight as it will allow the flavours to really absorb into the chicken.
  • When you are ready to cook, place the chicken pieces on the wire tray and cook in your grill for 8-10 minutes. It should have a slight char and should be about 70% cooked of the way. Now, turn the chicken pieces over and continue to grill for a further 3-5 minutes. The meat should be white all the way through. You can cook for a little longer if you like it to be slightly more charred all over but be careful not to overcook. (You can also cook this on the BBQ! )
  • Remove from grill. Drizzle over any extra marination that has dropped onto the foil along with a good sprinkle of chaat masala and lime juice.
  • To make the mango lassi, add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into a glass an garnish with lime zest, pomegranate seeds or fresh mint. Enjoy immediately!

Notes

You marinade should not be too wet – it should be like a thick paste. If you find it is more on the wet side, you can add 1-2tsp of gram flour (chickpea flour) along with a pinch of salt. This will help the marinade stick to your chicken as it grills. 

Palak Paneer

I really enjoyed teaching how to make this dish during yesterday’s LIVE cookery class. It’s such an easy, quick “throw together recipe” which is perfect for a weeknight meal or as part of a more elaborate spread.

As it’s a dry dish, it also works incredibly well as a filling in a wrap or even in a pitta bread! Palak paneer pitta pockets anyone?

I received an amazing response from those who cooked along with me during the live class. If you missed it but want to watch, you can view it right here. Let me know how it goes and don’t forget to share a photo of your recreation on Insta, Twitter or Facebook.

Oh and FYI, I will now be doing live classes every other Friday so my next live cook-along will be on 29th May. I am working on an exciting project in the mean time and am excited to share the details very soon.

Happy cooking y’all.

Palak Paneer

Ingredients
  

To toast paneer

  • 1 tsp oil
  • 225 g paneer cut into 2 cm cubes
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • salt

To make the palak paneer

  • 3-4 tbsp oil
  • 1/2 tsp butter/ghee optional
  • 1 tsp nigella seeds
  • 3 cloves garlic very finely chopped
  • 2cm ginger very finely chopped
  • 1 small tomato finely diced
  • 3 tbsp tomato pasata
  • 1 tsp salt or according to taste
  • 3/4 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 300 g fresh spinach washed, dried & finely chopped/shredded
  • 1-2 green chillies finely chopped

For optional garlic tempering

  • 2 tsp oil
  • 1 clove garlic cut into paper thin slices
  • 3 good pinches dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) optional

Instructions
 

  • To toast the paneer, heat oil in a pan (ideally non stick) on a low/medium heat setting. Once hot add the paneer, cumin seeds and a pinch of salt. Allow the paneer to cook for 10-15 seconds until it is light golden in colour. Then turn over each piece and cook on the other side. (You want just a light golden skin on each piece). Remove from pan and keep aside.
  • In the same pan, heat up oil and butter/ghee. Once hot, add the nigella seeds, garlic & ginger. Keep mixing continuously on a medium heat until light golden in colour. (It won't take long – do not allow it to brown too much as it will burn and become bitter).
  • Now add the chopped tomato and pasata and cook for 2 minutes on a medium heat whilst mixing. Then add the salt and remaining spices.
  • Once you see the oil begin to release at the edge of the tomato paste, add the toastetoasted paneer pieces and green chilli and mix. Now begin to add the spinach a couple of handfuls at a time, mixing as you do it.
  • Once all the spinach is in the pan and has started to wilt, reduce to a low/medium heat and place a lid on top. Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring halfway through. The spinach will start to release its water. Keep cooking until all water has evaporated and you have a dry dish where the palak and paneer pieces are both well combined. Taste for salt/chilli and adjust accordingly.
  • For the tempering, heat oil in a small pan. Then add the garlic slivers and dried fenugreek. Keep stirring and as soon as you see the garlic take on a light golden colour, turn off the heat. Drizzle over the paneer palak and serve with your favourite Indian breads.

Bombay Masala Sandwich

I decided to transport my students to the roadsides of Mumbai for this week’s LIVE Spice Club “isolation cookery class“. There are so many mouth watering Indian street food dishes and it’s hard to pick a favourite but this definitely ranks in the “top 10” shortlist.

Crunchy, spicy, cheesy, crispy – it’s got it all! It’s also a sandwich that yields 3 recipes in one.

1) The coriander & chilli chutney – this makes for a delicious dipping sauce with any of your favourite snacks.

2) The spicy poatato filling – you can use this as a stuffing for samosas, puff pastry snacks, parathas – whatever your heart desires!

3) Obviously when you put everything together, you get the Bombay sandwich in all it’s glory!

If you missed the live cookery class but want to catch up and watch, you can do so by clicking here. I will not be hosting a live class next Friday, but worry not, I will be back on Friday 15th May at 4pm. Until then, if you have any dish suggestions for the next live class, let me know. Also stay connected on my  Instagram or Facebook pages!

Bombay Masala Sandwich

Servings 2 sandwiches

Equipment

  • A blender such as a nutribullet or blend tech to make a smooth chutney
  • 2 x Frying pans, ideally non stick (or 1 x non stick crepe pan & 1 frying pan)

Ingredients
  

For the coriander chutney:

  • 1 bunch fresh coriander 40g or so
  • 20 mint leaves optional
  • 4 chillies or to taste
  • 1 apple granny smith is ideal
  • 1 small onion peeled
  • 1 Lime
  • 1 1/4 tsp Salt or according to taste
  • 4 tbsp desicated coconut optional
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) plus 2tbsp Water

For the sandwich:

  • 4 slices white bread you can also use brown
  • Butter left out at room temp so spreadable
  • 100 g cheese grated (I like to use a mix of cheddar & mozzarella)
  • 1 red onion cut into thinly sliced rounds
  • 1 tomato cut into thinly sliced rounds (optional)
  • Chaat Masala optional

For the spicy potatoes:

  • 400 g potatoes, cooked, peeled & mashed with a fork (You can boil. I cook mine in the microwave . To do this wash potatoes and place in a small clean plastic bag. Tie up and pierce a hole in it then cook on high for 8-10 minutes or until cooked).
  • Oil
  • 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
  • 3 tbsp Fresh coriander roughly choped
  • 1 clove garlic optional
  • 1 cm ginger grated (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp Salt or according to taste
  • 1/4 tsp Chilli powder or flakes
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp Mango Powder (amchur) or 1/2 tsp Lime

Instructions
 

  • To make the chutney, add all of the “chutney ingredients” to a blender and blitz into a smooth sauce. Empty into a bowl and keep aside.
  • Now mash the potatoes and spread them on a plate. Sprinkle over the salt, turmeric, chilli powder & mango powder and mix well. Now heat 2tbsp of oil in a non stick pan. When hot, add the mustard seeds. When they sizzle and pop, add the coriander, ginger & garlic. Mix and cook for a a minute, then add the potatoes. Cook on a low heat for 2 minutes. Turn off heat and transfer to a plate and allow to cool.
  • To assemble the sandwich, butter one side of both slices of bread. Flip over. Now spread the mint chutney on the other side of both pieces.
  • Spread the spiced potato mixture on one slice (chutney side up). Add half the amount of cheese and a sprinkle of chaat masala all over. Now top with onion slices, tomato slices, the remaining cheese and another sprinkle of chaat masala.
  • Place the second piece of bread on top (butter side up). Heat a frying pan greased with a little oil/butter. Once hot, place the sandwich onto the pan and fry on a low heat for 4 minutes. You can add a weight on top (like another frying pan) to help cook and crisp. Flip and repeat on the other side for a further 4 minutes until golden and crispy all over. Enjoy!