Shelby Reynolds, Naples Daily News, 10/9/2018

What does it take to beat world-famous chef Bobby Flay?

Tandoori chicken, apparently. (And more than 20 years of professional cooking experience.)

Editors note: to see the full article please visit here. We enjoyed participating in Chef Asif’s premier party.

We are also taking Chef Asif and 18 lucky people to visit his home land in India. For more info on this Asian India experience call 772-888-1573. Space is limited!

Tandoori chicken recipe

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

For the marinade:

½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt

• 2 tsp chopped ginger

• 2 tsp garlic paste

• 1 tsp curry powder

• Handful of chopped cilantro

• Handful of chopped mint 

• ¼ tsp red food coloring (optional)

• 1 tsp garam masala

• 1 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder

• 2 tsp kosher salt

  2 tsp + ¼ cup vegetable oil

• 6 medium-sized, bone-in chicken drumsticks (boneless chicken breast or thigh can be substituted)

For the chana masala and tandoori chicken:

• 3 tsp ghee

• 1 tsp cumin seeds

• 1 tsp curry leaves

• 1 large red onion, chopped

• 1 tsp minced ginger

• 1 tsp minced garlic 

  Handful of chopped cilantro

• Handful of chopped mint

• 1 can garbanzo beans

• 3 fully ripe red tomatoes, diced

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 2 burning charcoal pieces

• 1 stick of butter

• 1 tsp garam masala

For the grilled pineapple raita:

• 1 cup Greek yogurt

• 3 tsp honey

  ¼ pineapple, grilled and finely chopped

• 1 pinch cumin

• 1 pinch cayenne

• 1 pinch of salt

  Prepare the marinade by combining sour cream, ginger, garlic paste, curry powder, chopped cilantro, mint, red food coloring, garam masala, Kashmiri red chili, salt and 2 teaspoons of the vegetable oil. 

  Clean the bone of the drumstick. Remove the skin and create gashes with a sharp knife. Toss in the sour cream mixture and marinate for 1 hour at room temperate or overnight in the fridge.

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

  Set a tagine over medium to high heat and coat the bottom with the remaining vegetable oil. Sear the chicken drumsticks on both sides and remove from tagine. Place drumstricks on a sheet pan and finish in the oven for 20 minutes.

  Meawhile, prepare the chana masala by adding the following ingredients to the tagine: ghee, cumin seeds, curry leaves, chopped onions, ginger, garlic, cilantro, mint, garbanzo beans, diced tomatoes and lemon juice. 

  After 20 minutes, remove the chicken from the oven and return to the tagine. Place two pieces of burning charcoal inside a small steel ramekin, and put in center of tagine. Surround it with chicken drumsticks. Add butter and garam masala to the ramekin, so that the charcoal begins to smoke. Place the lid over the tagine and smoke the chicken for about 2 minutes.

  Prepare grilled pineapple raita by mixing Greek yogurt, honey, grilled and chopped pineapple, cumin, cayenne and salt.

  Plate the chana masala and rest chicken drumsticks on top. Garnish with micro greens and a dollop of raita.

• 21 Spices is at 4270 U.S. 41 E., Suite 21, East Naples; 239-919-8830; 21spicesdining.com