Delicious slow-cooked dishes
In his new cookbook MasterChef ’s Dean Edwards shares easy, mouthwatering recipes for slow cookers and conventional ovens inspired by dishes from around the globe TANDOORI CHICKEN WITH COCONUT SAMBAL
When I’m trying to eat healthily but I still have a craving for curry, my go-to dish is usually beautifully succulent tandoori chicken. This slow-cooked version gives the spices and flavours extra time to work their magic.
SERVES 4
TANDOORI MARINADE 15ml (1T) garam masala 10ml (2t) paprika 5ml (1t) ground cumin 5ml (1t) ground coriander 5ml (1t) chilli powder 2,5ml (½t) ground turmeric 150ml plain yoghurt juice of ½ lemon 4 garlic cloves, crushed 1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, grated 15ml (1T) mint sauce salt and freshly ground pepper CHICKEN 1 × 1,5kg whole chicken 1 small bunch of fresh coriander 1 medium lemon, halved COCONUT SAMBAL 150g fresh coconut 1 small handful of fresh coriander 1 green chilli, seeds removed and finely diced 1 small garlic clove, crushed juice of 1 lime 15ml (1T) olive oil
CONVENTIONAL METHOD REFRIGERATE: 2 HOURS OR OVERNIGHT COOKING: 1½ HOURS
1 Tandoori marinade Start with the marinade. Mix all the dry tandoori spices together in a large bowl, then add the yoghurt, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, mint sauce and a generous pinch of salt and pepper and stir to combine. 2 Chicken Slash the thighs of the chicken with a sharp knife, put the chicken on an oven sheet and rub the marinade all over it. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. 3 Preheat the oven to
190°C, gas mark 5. 4 Stuff the coriander and lemon halves inside the chicken cavity. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes per 1kg plus 20 minutes – a 1,5kg chicken will take 1½ hours to cook. The chicken is ready if the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part. 5 Coconut sambal Put all the ingredients in a blender along with a splash of water and blitz until a paste forms but it still retains some texture. Season with salt and leave to stand for at least 10 minutes before serving with the chicken.
SLOW COOKER METHOD COOKING: 7 HOURS
1 Follow step 1 exactly as per the conventional method. 2 Rub the chicken all over with the marinade. Stuff the coriander and lemon halves inside the cavity, then put it on top of a trivet within your slow cooker. Close the cooker’s lid and cook on the low setting for 7 hours. 3 If you want a crispy skin, put the cooked chicken on a baking sheet and roast in a hot oven for 10-15 minutes. 4 Make the sambal as per step 5 of the conventional method and serve.