Another one of the three main meals of my time in India

Tandoori Chicken

source: homecooking.about.com

Ingredients

• 1 (3-pound) chicken, cut into serving pieces, skinned and trimmed of all visible fat
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice or malt vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 Tablespoon peeled and grated or crushed ginger root
• 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• Vegetable oil, for brushing
• Fresh cilantro sprigs for garnish
• Slices of cucumber, red (Spanish) onion, tomato and lemon, for garnish

Directions

1. Prick the flesh of the chicken all over with a fork. Then, using a sharp knife, cut slashes in the flesh to allow the marinade to penetrate. Place the chicken in a nonreactive large, shallow dish.
2. In a nonreactive bowl, combine the yogurt, lemon juice or vinegar, garlic, ginger, cumin, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, cardamom, cloves, black pepper and salt. Stir until well-mixed, then pour the mixture over the chicken and rub it into the flesh, turning the chicken several times. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. (Do not marinate for longer than 2 days.) Remove the chicken from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking.
3. The chicken may be grilled or roasted. If using a charcoal grill, prepare a fire for direct-heat cooking. Position the grill rack 5 inches from the fire. Allow the coals to burn until white ash covers them and the heat is moderate.
4. Remove the chicken from the marinade, pressing lightly to extract excess marinade, and brush with oil. Place the chicken pieces on a well-oiled grill rack and; grill, covered, with the vents open, turning 3 or 4 times, 45 minutes or until the juices run clear when a piece is pierced near the bone with a knife.
5. If roasting, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan, brush with oil, and cook, turning once, 25 to 30 minutes until the juices run clear when a piece is pierced near the bone with a knife.
6. Serve with sprigs of cilantro and slices of cucumber, red onion, tomato, and lemon. 

Indian Pickled Red Onions

source: ecurry.com

Ingredients:

1. 40 pearl onions, peeled (shallots or large red onions may be pickled too if they are peeled and cut in desired size) – Please do not use frozen onions for this pickle. It will be disaster. The frozen ones have no crunch left to them and smell too stale for this pickle.
2. 1  cup water
3. 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon ( or more or less as per taste), cider or any other light colored vinegar (you may use any light colored vinegar for extra flavor)
4. 2 pinches of salt, or to taste
5. a pinch of sugar (optional)
6. spices if you wish (the authentic ones do not have spices, but black pepper, bay leaf,  cinnamon etc may be used)

Directions

1. Slice off the ends of each onion. Peel them completely. Place peeled onions in a non reactive jar or a bowl.
2. (If you are using spices and/or beetroot, simmer them in water for a while, strain and completely cool the water)
3. Add salt and sugar to water and stir them in as they completely dissolve. Mix water with vinegar. Adjust salt. Pour over the onions in the jar/bowl. The onions should be completely covered and have the liquid come up half an inch above the level of the onions.
4. The longer they soak the deeper the color of the liquid gets (if you are using the red pearl onions and the texture of the onions change too. They absorb more flavor and will get less crunchy.
5. Let them marinate for a few hours (3 hours to 5 hours). Drain and serve.
6. The onions may be kept in the refrigerator for 2 days after they have been drained.