Use this marinade for chicken, lamb or pork, and marinate the meat, covered and chilled, for 24-36 hours to develop a mellow spicy flavour.

Ingredients

5ml/1 tsp coriander seeds
10ml/2 tsp cumin seeds
6 cloves
2 bay leaves
1 onion, quartered
2 garlic cloves
5ml/2in piece fresh root ginger, roughly chopped
2.5ml/½ tsp chilli powder
5ml/1 tsp ground turmeric
150ml/¼ pint/⅔ cup natural yogurt
Juice of 1 lemon

Details

Serves: 6

 

Method

1. Spread the coriander and cumin seeds, cloves and bay leaves over the bottom of a large frying pan and dry­-fry over a moderate heat until the bay leaves are crisp.

 

2. Leave the spices to cool, then grind coarsely with a pestle and mortar.

 

3. Finely chop the onion, garlic and ginger in a blender or food processor. Add the ground spices, chilli, turmeric, yogurt and lemon juice.

 

4. If you are marinating chicken joints or large pieces of meat, make several deep slashes to allow the flavours to penetrate. Arrange the pieces in a single layer and pour over the marinade. Cover and leave in the fridge to marinate for at least 24 hours.

 

Cook’s Tip:- Garnish the finished dish with fresh coriander leaves and slices of lemon or lime.