Garam Masala Chicken Skewers
Serves 6
To Drink: A Cold Beer!
Ingredients
1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons Garam Masala (recipe follows)
1 lemon, zested and juice of half the lemon
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon. freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons oil
4 metal or bamboo skewers (soak bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes before using)
Yogurt Sauce (see recipe)
Instructions
Preheat the grill to medium heat. Place the chicken in a large baking dish.
In a separate bowl, combine all the remaining ingredients and mix well.
Rub the mixture over the chicken, coating completely.
Start a charcoal grill or cast-iron, ridged grill pan. Thread the chicken onto the skewers distributing evenly. Brush with olive oil.
Place the skewers on the grill and grill 4 to 5-inches from the heat source, turning occasionally, until the chicken is done, 8 to 12 minutes.
To serve, place the skewers on a platter, place the sauce in a bowl and serve immediately.
GARAM MASALA
4 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 ½ teaspoons cumin seeds
¾ teaspoon cardamom (3-4 large pods approx)
¾ teaspoon cloves
¾ teaspoon cinnamon (2 X 1” pieces)
¾ teaspoon crushed bay leaves
1 ½ teaspoons dry ginger
Heat a heavy skillet on a medium flame and gently roast all ingredients (leave cardamom in its pods till later) except the dry ginger, till they turn a few shades darker. Stir occasionally. Do not be tempted to speed up the process by turning up the heat as the spices will burn on the outside and remain raw on the inside.
When the spices are roasted turn off the heat and allow them to cool.
Once cooled, remove the cardamom seeds from their skins and mix them back with all the other roasted spices.
Grind them all together, to a fine powder in a clean, dry coffee grinder.
Store in an air-tight container in a cool, dark place.
GARLIC YOGURT SAUCE
7 ounces Greek yogurt
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
1/2 cup diced cucumber
Kosher salt
In a bowl, stir the yogurt, garlic, lime juice, lime zest and cucumber together. Season with salt.
