DIY Tandoori Masala
When most people think of tandoori chicken, they think of dry, vapid meat so hard you could break a tooth on it. I am almost certain this has something to do with how dependent we've become on store-bought, ready made options. Tandoori chicken isn't something you're likely to make everyday so having something sit on your shelf all year long does make you question: what's in this thing that preserves it for so long? This easy DIY recipe is full of ingredients you can recognise and doesn't even need a fancy grinder or food processor (I have neither!) A pestle and mortar and some elbow grease will do.
Prep + cooking time: 15 mins
Servings: makes 500ml
Ingredients
- 2 red onions, finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp mint
- 1 tsp fennel
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1 tsp garlic
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 green chilli (optional)
- 3-4 tbsp tomato puree
- 3-4 tbsp olive oil
- 300ml coconut milk
Instructions
1) In a pestle and mortar, grind the herbs and spices along with the tomato puree and olive oil to create a thick paste.
2) Chop onions thinly or grind in your pestle and mortar. This is done easily in batches. Alternatively use a food processor and mix all the ingredients at once.
3) Use a recycled old pickle jar to store your tandoori masala.
Store in the fridge for up to a week; freeze and use within the month. The coconut milk will mean it will take up to a day to thaw completely.
