Baked Keralan Country Chicken

I loved visiting India and Goa a few years ago but didn't have chance to see Kerala.  It's definitely on my list of 'must see places', once all the children have flown the nest.  So for now, I'll make do with this baked spicy chicken dish.  

Ingredients

1 tsp turmeric powder

2 tsp coriander seeds

2 tsp mustard seeds

1 tbsp ground cumin seeds

1 tsp ground fenugreek

½ tsp black peppercorns

juice 2 lemons

5 garlic cloves, crushed

100g ginger, grated

250ml coconut milk

2 red chillies, deseeded and chopped

8 pieces of chicken, bone in and skin on, or 1 whole chicken jointed

12 large chestnut mushrooms quartered, optional

A few coriander sprigs. 

Method

Toast all of the spices in a dry pan, then grind to a powder using a pestle and mortar. Mix the lemon juice, garlic, ginger, coconut milk and chillies with a large pinch of salt and the other spices in a food processor to make a paste. Rub the marinade into the chicken and leave to marinate for at least 2 hrs or overnight, if possible, in the fridge.

Heat the oven to 220C. Place the chicken in a roasting tin and cook for 35 mins. Turn the grill to high, then grill it to crisp up the skin. Turn every few mins and cook for about 20 mins until charred. Scatter over coriander sprigs and serve with a simple salad of sliced red onion and tomatoes. 

Recipe adapted from Good Food magazine, May 2012

One day.......