Tandoori Roast Chicken

Total Time: 2 hrs Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 4 lbs whole chickens
• 2 onions, thickly sliced
• 1 lemon, halved
• 3 inches piece ginger, cut in half and peeled
• 14 ounces coconut milk
• 1 small bunch cilantro, roughly chopped (or parsley)
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• juice 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 6 garlic cloves, whizzed to a paste with the ginger or finely minced
• 2 inches ginger, whizzed to a paste with the garlic or finely minced
• 4 -6 drops red food coloring (optional)

Recipe

• 1 mix the marinade ingredients. slash the legs of the chicken a few times, then rub the marinade all over, including under the skin of the breast. marinate in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
• 2 heat oven to 400°f put the onions, lemon halves and ginger in a roasting pan. sit the chicken on top and roast for 1½ hrs or until the thigh juices run clear when tested with a skewer.
• 3 when the chicken is done, lift out of the pan, sit in a new dish, cover loosely with foil and leave to rest.
• 4 take out the ginger from the pan and discard. scrape out the roasted middles from the lemons into a food processor, add the onions and any pan juices, and whizz to a purée. scrape the purée back into the roasting pan (or in a saucepan if your pan can't go on the stove - be sure to scrape out every little bit that is in the pan!) and heat over medium heat. stir in the coconut milk and bubble gently, scraping up any chicken bits that have stuck. you can add a splash of water if the sauce is too thick.
• 5 stir in the cilantro and serve sauce with the chicken.