Tandoori Chicken

Servings: 2 (1 whole chicken per person)

Ingredients:

• Cornish hens - 2, (about 300-350 gms each) whole & skin-on, cavities cleaned
• Plain Yogurt - 1 cup
• Lime juice - 1 tbsp
• Jarred Capers - 1 tbsp
• Garlic paste - 2 tsp, freshly made
• Ginger paste - 1.5 tsp, freshly made
• Chili powder - 1.5 tsp (I like it hot)
  
• Shan Tandoori Spice mix - 3 tbsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Ketchup - 1 tbsp
• Butter - 1/2 cup, melted
  

Methods:

• 1. Clean the chickens thoroughly. Wipe up any moisture with a paper towel. Set aside
• 2. In sealable bowl, mix in all the ingredients (except the butter) for the marinade. Rub the marinade thoroughly all over the chickens. Make sure to stuff some of the marinade inside the cavities and underneath the skin.
• 3. Marinate for 2 days, sealed and refrigerated or minimum of 2 hours. However, the longer you marinade the tastier it gets.
  

• 4. On the day of cooking, take the chickens out of the fridge and let it come to room temperature before roasting.
  
• 5. Preheat your oven to 400F (200C). Tie the legs of the chickens or set it in with a roasting skewer, so that they will not open up while cooking.
  
• 6. Wrap a roasting tray with some aluminum foil. Place it on the bottom rack of the oven. Clean the top rack and spray some oil on it to avoid sticking.
• 7. Melt the stick of butter and mix it in with chicken marinade. Place the chickens, leg side up, directly on to the top rack. Bake for 1.5-2 hours, basting it with the buttered marinade every 15 min. When you baste it, turn the chickens as well so that it will cook and get charred up all over evenly.
• 8. The tray on the bottom rack will be collecting all the dripped off juice from the chicken. If you like, you can place some potatoes, onions etc, on the tray before you place it on the bottom rack, under the chickens. The vegetables will be cooked in the marinade dripping from the chickens and taste absolutely fabulous.
  

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• 9. To check that the chicken has been cooked all the way through, place a knife on the thickest part of the chicken, if the juice runs clear, you chicken is cook.
  
• 10. Once cooked, let it rest for 10 min before serving. Serve with any side you like. I serve the Tandoori chickens with freshly baked rolls and potatoes baked in the dripping juice of the chickens. Bon Appétit!