Tandoori Chicken, Chana Dal, & Pilau Rice
Tandoori Chicken
This one is a no brainer. Buy a tandoori spice paste or mix and follow the directions. I like to use Patak’s brand as it’s not to spicy, but there are other brands that are just as good such as Neera’s. You can find it at most Whole Food Markets, Indian specialty groceries, or other International grocery stores. Here’s a link to their website, so you can get a visual on the product
They also have a store finder. I like to use sheep or goat yogurt for a more authentic flavor. Let it marinate for at least two hours or better yet, marinate it before leaving home and put it in a Ziplock bag in your cooler. Grill it up over the fire and you will have one juicy, flavorful piece of chicken.
Serves 4 Prep time: 5 min Cook time: 20 - 30 min
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1 whole chicken cut into 8 pieces or 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
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½ cup Patak’s Tandoori paste
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1 cup plain yogurt
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Juice of ½ lemon
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Fresh cilantro, rough chopped for garnish
Remove the skin from all the chicken pieces and cut the breasts in half. If using just breasts, cut them in half. Score each piece of chicken 3 times cutting into the flesh about ½ inch. This will allow the marinade to penetrate the meat faster.
Add the Tandoori paste, yogurt, and lemon juice to a gallon sized plastic storage bag. Use a spoon to mix it together. The marinade is bright red. This is part of the uniqueness of the dish.
Add the chicken pieces, seal the bag, and squish it all around to cover the chicken pieces with the marinade. Allow to marinate in your cooler for at least 2 hours. I like to do this right after breakfast is over or before I leave home, so it has a good 5-6 hours to marinate. Remember food safely and handling and be sure to clean the cutting board, the knife, and your hands well after cutting raw chicken on it. Double bagging is a good idea to prevent water from getting in the bag from melting ice.
Build a fire in the fire pit or grill. Grill the chicken pieces over a medium fire until the pieces are cooked through. This will take about 20-30 minutes.
Serve with Chana Dal and Pilau Rice and garnish with fresh cilantro and a lemon wedge.
Chana Dal
Dal in the Indian language is a dried split pulse or legume such as lentils, chickpeas, or mung beans. Chana Dal specifically is a split, hulled, and polished baby chickpeas. You can find them at an Indian specialty grocery, most Whole Foods Markets, or other health food grocery stores. Often they are in the bulk section. They are delicious stewed with Indian spices and vegetables and make a great accompaniment to any Indian meal. Serve with Pilau Rice as a protein rich vegetarian dish or as a side for Tandoori Chicken.
Serves 3-4 people Prep time: 5-10 min Cook time: 1 hr
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1 tbsp butter or oil
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½ cup onion, small dice, about ¼ large onion
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½ cup zucchini, medium dice
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½ cup red pepper, medium dice
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1 tbsp jalapeno minced
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1 tbsp fresh ginger minced
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1 tbsp garlic minced
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1 c chana dal
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½ tsp ground turmeric
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½ tsp ground cumin
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¾ tsp ground coriander
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3 1/2-4 cups water
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½ tsp garam masala
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1 tbsp lemon juice, juice of about ½ lemon
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½ tsp salt
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Pepper, a few twists of the pepper mill or to taste
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Rough chopped, fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
Add butter or oil to a medium sized pot set over a medium flame on your camp stove. Once the butter is melted or the oil heated, add the onion, zucchini, and red pepper. Sauté until wilted and just starting to caramelize, about 4-5 minutes. Add jalapeño, ginger, and garlic and sauté a minute longer. Add the chana dal, turmeric, cumin, and coriander. Stir to coat the beans with the vegetables and spices. Add 3 cups of water, bring to a simmer, and cook covered stirring occasionally. If the mixture gets too dry add a little more water. It should be a fairly soupy consistency while cooking.
Cook until beans are tender and beginning to fall apart and thicken the stew about 1 hour. Add garam masala, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning
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Serve with Pilau Rice and garnish with fresh cilantro leaves
Pilau Rice
This is the Indian way of saying Rice Pilaf. This recipe is super simple, just be sure to use Basmati Rice. It has a special flavor all it’s own that is the perfect accompaniment to all curries. The whole spices can be found at most Whole Foods Markets, Indian specialty grocery stores, or anywhere that sells bulk spices.
Serves 3-4 Prep time: 1 min Cook time: 10-30 min depending on rice type
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1 cup white or brown Basmati Rice
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1 ½ -2 c water
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1 cinnamon stick
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6 whole cloves
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6 whole cardamom pods
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A pinch of salt
Follow the directions on the rice package. White rice is usually 1 ½ water to 1 c rice and brown rice is usually 2 cups water to 1 cup rice. Add all ingredients to a saucepan with a lid, bring to a boil over high heat then reduce to a simmer and cook with the lid on until all the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked and fluffy. White basmati cooks quickly and will probably take around ten minutes. Brown rice takes longer, probably around 30 min. I sometimes have to add more water to the brown rice. Taste it and check for doneness and add a little more water if necessary. Allow to sit off the flame for at least five minutes to allow the rice steam. Remove the whole spices before serving. They usually float to the top and side of the pan, so they are easy to remove with a spoon.
Serve with your favorite curries.