Grilled Indian-Spiced Butter Chicken
grilling is one of my favorite methods to cook by, but i’ve never quite learned how to do it on my own – it seems there are a million methods on the best way to light and keep a flame going for the right amount of time and temperature. usually, i save my grilling recipes for when i’m visiting the family, and i’ll do the prep work and the marinating while my dad lights up the grill and my mom gives the stamp of approval for doneness. last weekend i purchased my own little outdoor grill for my own place, and while i haven’t given it a try yet, i’m all set now to learn how to properly grill.
i made these recently:
grilled indian-spiced butter chicken
turkey kibbeh kabab with lemon-walnut and yogurt-garlic sauces
Here’s the recipe for the chicken:
1 chopped onion
3 tablespoons chopped garlic
2 tablespoons chopped peeled ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 Thai chile, chopped
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/3 cup plain Greek or Iranian yogurt
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 chicken
1/4 stick butter
1. Puree onion, garlic, ginger, salt, chile, and vinegar to a paste in a food processor. Transfer to a bowl and whisk in yogurt, coriander, oil, turmeric, and cayenne. Add chicken pieces and turn to coat thickly. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate, chilled, overnight.
2. Bring butter to a boil in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat. When foam covers butter, reduce heat to very low. Cook butter until a very thin crust begins to form on surface and milky white solids fall to bottom of pan, about 8 minutes. Continue to cook butter, watching constantly, until solids at bottom of pan turn light brown and butter has a nutty fragrance, 8 to 16 minutes.
3. Remove pan from heat and let butter stand 1 minute. Pour through a sieve lined with a dampened paper towel, discarding solids.
4. Prepare grill for cooking over indirect heat with medium-hot charcoal. Put chicken on rack over area of grill with no coals underneath. Drizzle chicken with about 1 tablespoon melted butter. Cook chicken over medium-high heat, turning over and drizzling with ghee every 5 minutes, until cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes.