This dish started out as a simple curry, but during England’s summer festival season I was asked to put on a barbecue over fifteen nights at an open-air festival in Wimbledon. I needed to cook something with a big impact, something that would send out irresistible aromas, so I took this recipe and converted it for the barbecue. Man, it went down a treat!The only thing you need is a flat griddle plate or you could use a large cast-iron pan on an open fire. It’s absolutely fabulous with a cool yoghurt and cucumber dressing, Spiced red bean salad or even with Whole pumpkin biryani
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
4 long fat green chillies
2 short hot green chillies
8 garlic cloves, peeled
sunflower oil
juice of 2 large lemons
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1.6 kg chicken, jointed for sauteing, skin removed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 onions, chopped
2 teaspoons crushed coriander seeds
2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
12 fresh curry leaves
1 cup coriander chopped leaves
cucumber, chopped
100 g plain yoghurt
salt
freshly ground black pepper
METHOD
1 Puree the chillies and garlic in a food processor, adding a little oil if necessary.
2 Place the chillies and garlic in a bowl with the lemon juice and turmeric. Add the jointed chicken and mix well. Leave to marinate in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature.
3 Preheat your barbecue hotplate to medium or place a flat griddle pan over the barbecue coals. Pour a little oil onto the barbecue hotplate and start to cook the chicken, turning it so the meat is evenly coloured. Allow the barbecue to burn down to a medium-low heat.
4 Pour a little more oil onto the hotplate and add the cumin seeds, onions, crushed coriander seeds and black pepper. Fry until the onions start to colour and the aromas of the spices begin to develop. Add the remaining marinade and curry leaves. Continue to cook, turning the chicken until cooked through; this could take 25 minutes in all.
5 When the chicken is cooked, add the coriander.
6 Combine the cucumber with the yoghurt and season with salt and pepper. Either drizzle the yoghurt mixture over the chicken, or serve it separately.
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