Ingredients

Tandoori Masala Mix
8 tsp ground coriander
7 tsp ground cumin
7 tsp garlic powder
7 tsp paprika
5 tsp ground ginger
5 tsp mango powder
2 tsp dried mint
5 tsp beetroot powder (or 1tsp red food coloring powder)
2 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp anatto seed powder (or 1/2 tsp yellow food coloring powder)

Tandoori Masala Paste
1 full recipe of Tandoori Masala Mix
6-8 fl oz (175-250ml) Vinegar
6-8 fl oz (175-250ml) Vegetable oil

Tandoori Marinade
5oz (150g) plain yoghurt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 fresh red chillies, chopped
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp mild curry paste
2 tbsp red tandoori paste
1 tbsp tomato puree
1/2 tsp salt
100ml milk (approximate)

Meat Tikka Pieces
1 lb lean meat, (beef, pork or lamb) cubed
7oz Tandoori Marinade (about half the recipe above)

Method

Tandoori Masala
To make the masala powder, you just have to mix the powders together and store them in an airtight container.

The Beetroot and Anatto powders are used for coloring, and can be substituted with food coloring powder or a couple of drops of liquid food color at cooking preparation time. The bright red food colorings that you will see in restaurants are not natural and are the result of using tartrazine food colorings. These colorings can have side effects on children, including allergies and hyperactivity. They will not affect the taste of the dish.

Tandoori Masala Paste
Mix the tandoori masala and the vinegar together to make a thick paste.

1. Heat the oil in a deep pan or wok and add the paste.
2. Stir fry the paste in the oil, making sure that you stir it continuously to avoid sticking to the pan. When the liquid in the mixture is reduced it will start to bubble, and the oil will rise to the top. At this point it is ready.
3. Allow the paste to cool and bottle it in airtight jars. You can heat up a little oil and pour this on top of the paste in the jar to form a seal which will prevent it from going off.
4. You should be able to use this paste in several meals.

Tandoori Marinade
The marinade for tandoori is comprised of the tandoori spices in yoghurt, lemon juice and milk.

1. Mix the yoghurt, oil, lemon, garlic, chillies, and cilantro in a blender to make a fine puree.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients except the milk and continue to blend.
3. Add the milk to the blender little by little, until the puree is easy to pour. You may need more or less than the 100ml stated above, depending on the rest of the ingredients. You should have a brightly colored, creamy red marinade.
4. Refridgerate the marinade until you need it, or proceed immediately to the marination.

Meat Tikka Pieces

1. Place the cubed meat and the marinade into a bowl or a ziploc bag and refrigerate for 24 hours or overnight (the longer the better).
2. When you are ready to cook the meat, remove it from the marinade and thread it onto skewers. (Discard the marinade, or use it to make a curry)
3. Either cook the meat over a barbecue, or on an oven rack above a foil-lined tray in a oven heated to 425F. Cook for at least 15-20 minutes, you may need to cook for longer. You may want to leave the meat slighly pink on the inside, depending on your preference. However, You should cook pork throughly.
4. The tandoori dish looks even better if you blacken the meat slightly on the outside – the traditional barbecue look.

Serve on a bed of salad, with your accompaniments.

Tandoori cooking is varied and is a wonderful surprise for your guests at a barbecue. Why present them with regular burgers and franks when you can delight them with something new? If you want to learn more about Tandoori cooking, we can recommend the two books below. The Pat Chapman book contains many tandoori variations, but it very hard to get hold of, and expensive in the USA. I’ve seen it selling for $75! You will find used or remaindered copies quite cheaply in the UK.
USA