Best braai improv of the summer

So I felt like some Tandoori chicken on Friday night but did not start the marinating on Thursday and since I haven’t yet mastered time travel I decided to try a short cut. (you do need a small flying saucer tho or a kettle braai will do).

While the coals are cooling, mix some dried ground ginger, ground cumin, coriander, turmeric (or saffron if its pay-day), fresh chilli and garlic (don’t be shy if you want added richness), paprika and garam masala into some double cream yoghurt (no need to feel guilty – in yoghurt it means about 5-7% fat) and some tomato puree (I was also inspired by butter chicken) and ja I know duplication of ingredients.

it kinda looked liked this but....

looked more like this by the time I took a pic

Heat a roasting tray over the coals, season the chicken, place in the roasting tray and brown (with the kettle lid on, vent open), drain the fat, put the chicken directly over the coals and soften some sliced cherry/baby toms in the tray, then add the yoghurt mixture and reduce – again lid on for smokiness. Once you have reduced the ‘marinade’ and the chicken is just about done mix together and cook for another couple of minutes.

This was a revelation – rich, smoky, spicy, creamy, aromatic – am falling out of love with Bukhara – once I crack Palak Paneer its over. Our usual yardstick 'is it a plate licker' became 'is it a tray licker?' (with your fingers of course).

We matched it with unoaked but rich bush vine Chenin and all was good in the world. Saturday morning was a different story but was consoled by some Mexican eggs, now there is another post-worthy dish.