A mean green Tandoori!

All of us are definitely tired of the same old Tandoori chicken I am sure. Here is a receipe that I found in Ranjit Rai's book that will add a spin to your mundane regular tandoori chicken!

Ingredients
Chicken 800 g (Use either boneless skinless or I recommend using small Cornish hens (if you can lay your hands on one that is! For people in India, either use small chickens or quail if you get one at your place!. Ensure that you get rid of the skin). For maximum flavor, and tenderness, I would recommend you use chicken thighs (boneless or with bones)

Marinade

• yogurt 1 cup
• ginger paste 2 tbsp
• garlic paste 1tbsp
• turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
• coriander powder 1tbsp
• oil 1/4 cup
• salt 1tsp

Paste of greens

• green capsicum large 1/2
• green chillies 4-5 (depends on how hot you want it)
• green spinach chopped 2 cups
• green coriander 1/4 cup
• onion sliced and fried 1/4 cup (1 medium onion)
• ghee 1/4 cup
• corn flour 2 tbsp
• vinegar 2 tbsp
• salt 1 tsp

Procedure

1. Clean the chicken. Score the chicken with a knife.
2. Mix the marinade and leave the chicken for one hr.
3. Boil the spinach for 2-4 minutes. Dry on a paper towel.
4. Make the green paste in the grinder but do not add any water.
5. Mix the fried onions along with the greens while making the paste.
6. Rub the paste on chicken well and leave for five hrs.
7. Cook in oven turning the chicken well after every 10 mins, until well done

Tips

1. For the diet conscious folks, here is something I would call my own healthy twist. The receipe calls for fried onions. try oven roasted onions instead. Slice the onions thin, add a few drops of oil, and mix well. Then oven bake these till they get that dark caramelized color.
2. If using freshly cut chicken, marination duration is an extended one. However if using the store bought chicken (frozen ones), thaw the usual way, and a marination of 2 hours would suffice. There is such a thing as over marination! Be careful. You do not want mushy soggy chicken. You are looking for nice tender chicken full of flavor!

I shall add a picture of this the next time I make this! Till  then, enjoy!