Fare Exchange: Yes, you can bake it, but grilling adds flavor to tandoori chicken

Welcome to October’s exchanges and challenges; as usual the challenges will be the appetizer.

L.R. received a birthday gift, “a Vegetti mini-machine for making spaghetti-like strands of squash. I would like both meat and meatless recipes for topping these vegetable strands.”

Next came an anonymous father, concerned that his grown son is getting too thin, now that he is away from his mother’s generous kitchen. “I think he needs not just recipes but the simplest way to make a good meal at dinnertime, without using prepared foods.”

TANDOORI CHICKEN

Martin Davis picked up the conversation thread, from months back, for using a Big Green Egg. This recipe has an Indian flavor, along with the smoked flavor to which he is accustomed. It may also be prepared indoors.

“Here’s the recipe for making Tandoori (Asian Indian) Chicken. Tandoori is NOT spicy; it’s basically a flavorful marinade for the chicken. I am sorry I haven’t gotten this to you before this year’s grilling season, but I grill/smoke all year-round even here in Ohio. Pitak’s brand tandoori paste was available in Chattanooga the last time I checked, at Indian Grocery Kitchen Spices, off East Brained Road at 7601 Stratman Circle. There are various other flavors similar to tandoori, such as tikka masala, that can also be used and would have more kick.”

About the chicken he explained, “You can use other cuts of chicken, but I do not recommend wings or the whole chicken. After 20 years of experimentation I have found the boneless, skinless thighs to produce the best, most consistent results of being juicy and reheating well either after a few days in the refrigerator or after being frozen.”

Tandoori (Asian Indian) Chicken

Marinade:

1 1/2 cups plain (not flavored and not Greek) yogurt (fat-free or reduced-fat or regular)

1 jar Tandoori paste

Thoroughly combine the yogurt and the tandoori paste in a mixing bowl.

Chicken:

2 1/2 to 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Take the chicken thighs out of the package(s), placing them in a 2-gallon zip-lock bag (if you cannot find a 2-gallon zip-lock, then use 2 1-gallon bags), making sure that the thighs are unrolled so that the marinade mixture will thoroughly coat the chicken.

Pour/spoon the marinade out into the zip-lock bag; close the bag, reducing the amount of air in it as much as possible. Then, carefully (make sure the bag is tightly closed) roll the bag around to distribute the marinade and coat the chicken thoroughly.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (preferably several hours to overnight).

Grill, smoke or bake in the oven until the meat is done (cut a piece open and check it). For me, smoking it in the Big Green Egg running at 300 degrees takes 9-12 minutes per side (depending upon the size of the thighs). Grilling would be similar. I’ve never baked it, but you could – it just won’t be as tasty.

Of course, do NOT ever use any of the leftover marinade (I distribute it on my charcoal coals to help produce a flavorful smoke) as it will be full of bacteria. Serve hot; refrigerate or freeze leftovers. Reheat in the microwave to desired temperature (if frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator), about 30 seconds per piece on full power.

Not only did Mr. Davis send this recipe back to the homeland here, but he also issued a promise. “When we move back to Chattanooga in a few years, I plan to offer meet-up gatherings at our house to demonstrate some of my favorite (and therefore easy) recipes for the grill and/or Big Green Egg (and of course, that would include having the food to taste).”

We will eagerly wait for that day as well as more Big Green Egg recipes promised by Mr. Davis.

GRANOLA

A soulful mother, formerly of Chattanooga, has sent her favorite family recipe to be shared. She adapted it from the blog soulemama.com and, by the way, heartily recommends the author of this blog.

Abigail’s Granola

6 cups rolled oats

3/4 cup sesame seeds

3/4 cup sunflower seeds

3/4 cup pumpkin seeds

1 cup almonds, chopped

2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Salt from a grinder

1 to 1 1/2 cups oil (to use coconut, all wet ingredients need to be at room temperature)

2/3 cup brown rice syrup or maple syrup

1/2 cup apple or orange juice (in a pinch, most other juices work)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Salt from a grinder

Heat oven to 300 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine oats, seeds, almonds, flour, cinnamon and salt; mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine oil, syrup, juice and extracts. Slowly pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients, using a spatula to fold, and evenly coat the dry mixture with the wet. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon and grind salt over, liberally.

Spread on a cookie sheet or in a shallow pan and bake. Turn granola every 15 or 20 minutes so that it toasts evenly. Bake until granola is dry and golden (45-60 minutes). Store in an airtight jar.

Notes from Abigail: I mix the dry ingredients, using roasted salted almonds from Costco, coarsely chopped; about 6 cups oats, add maybe 1/2 to 3/4 cup of each raw sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds (new for fall) and unsweetened coconut flakes.

Bake on 300 for 30-45 minutes, careful not to burn edges, turning once or twice. Then I turn off oven and leave in to crisp/dry out more.

HEALTH TIPS

Lil Yarosh, who teaches classes on plant-based eating, responded to another question or two. She has told us that her morning ritual includes a rotating variety of cereals, almond milk and a variety of fresh fruits in season. And now this: “Regarding the cereals, I mix them up. I’m a label reader, and I look for high fiber and low sugar.

“Regarding water philosophy, drink lots of it. I have to intentionally fill up a glass, and I’m a nag to my husband about drinking enough. We use just tap water, but we do have a filter. When we travel, we use bottled water.”

This is how we cook: We send recipes and philosophies and ingredient suggestions, and then we make promises for the future. It’s all good, and it will all continue … with your help.