Tandoori Chicken

You don't have to be in Al Qaeda to enjoy this dish.

Tandoori chicken is actually pretty easy to make, although for really good chicken you have to commit to a 24-hour marinade time. So for this recipe you want the following:

1. About 4 of those big pieces of chicken where the leg is attached to the thigh.
2. Tandoori paste and tandoori spices. Go to your local Indian store and ask. Trust me - with the way technology is today, I guarantee you have a local Indian store.
3. Yogurt. Don't do non-fat but LOW-fat is OK
4. A large white onion, a large green bell pepper, and some sliced carrots.

GET STARTED:

1. In a big casserole type dish, mix one heaping spoon of the tandoori paste with two heaping spoons of the tandoori spice. You have to taste the spices you're using before you dump it all over everything so make sure you understand the level of heat and salt your mix has.
2. Mix in two heaping blobs of yogurt - like 2 cups although I don't measure anything. And then like 2 coffee cups of water. Basically you're making a red slightly watery marinade.
3. If your tandoori mix isn't red enough in color, add red food coloring. It won't change the flavor if you do or don't, but obviously you want the authentic red tandoori color.
4. Score the chicken. That means slice it to the bone in a few key places.
5. Marinate the meat for 24-hours. Seriously, if you don't, it won't be as succulent and your chicken will suck.

THE EASIEST PART:

Turn on your BROILER. Transfer the meat to a baking pan and put it in. (Note the casserole dish with the marinade in the background for a visual). Poor a little bit of olive oil over each piece of chicken to keep it moist.

1. BROIL for 25-30 minutes on one side. You are cooking and crisping the meat so you want to see both start to happen before you flip it over.
2. Flip it. :) Another 25 minutes or so. It should be totally cooked but still moist.
3. While the chicken is broiling now, start sauteeing your vegetables in a little butter, salt and pepper. By the time the chicken is cooked the sizzling vegetables will be ready to dump over the tandoori.
4. BOOYAH - you're done.