You cannot make “authentic” tandoori chicken without a tandoor, the clay oven closely associated with Indian cooking and used to make many of that country’s wonderful breads. But you can replicate the seasonings and grill or broil it so that it becomes very similar to the original. It isn’t difficult, and it’s really rewarding. Most tandoori chicken gets its bright red color from food coloring, but some cooks use a mild chile powder or a healthy dose of paprika, and that’s what I do here. Nice with Tomato Salad with Ginger (page 173) or Panfried Spicy Potatoes with Eggplant (page 476). Equally good with Paratha (page 559) or even plain rice.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　1 chicken, 3 to 4 pounds, cut into serving pieces, or 2 1/2 to 3 pounds chicken parts, trimmed of excess fat

　　1 cup yogurt

　　1 tablespoon garam masala (page 594) or curry powder, preferably homemade (pages 592–593)

　　1 tablespoon paprika

　　1 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

　　1 teaspoon minced garlic

　　1 teaspoon ground coriander

　　1 teaspoon ground cumin

　　1/2 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste (less if your curry powder is strong)

　　Salt to taste

　　

Step 1

Remove the skin from the chicken and make diagonal slashes in the flesh, right down to the bone. Combine all the remaining ingredients in a large bowl or roasting pan and marinate the chicken in this mixture in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours or as long as overnight.

　　

Step 2

When you’re ready to cook, start a charcoal or gas grill or preheat the broiler. The heat should be only moderate (the fire should be past its peak if you’re using charcoal) and the rack 4 to 6 inches from the heat source. Grill or broil the chicken, turning each piece as it browns—you’ll probably turn it several times during cooking—until done (there will be no traces of blood, which will be easy to see thanks to the gashes in the flesh), 20 to 30 minutes. Serve hot.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.