Tandoori Chicken Wing Masala - the way to your other half's heart ♥

I am an absolute glutton when it comes to anything tandoori - anything tandooried is bound to be tasty in my book. Reminds me of my sinifaan (engagement) where i could have cared less that my in laws were there. Just wanted them to go so i could tuck into my Dad's special Tandoori Chicken (bless abba, he kept loads aside for me).

So this is a tandoori wings recipe - even though the wings aren't tandooried (is that even a word!?) You will be marinating the wings for 48 hours, which ensures such a deep flavour, you'll wonder how you've never cooked them before!

You will need:

2kg wings/niblets (wings should be scored on both sides)

Marinated in:
500g Yoghurt
4 green chillies
1 tbsp methi leaves
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp zeera (cumin) powder
1 tsp dhaniya (coriander) powder
1 medium onion
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp coriander
1 inch ginger
5 cloves garlic
Salt to taste (i use about 3 tsp)

Put all above ingredients apart from yoghurt into a blender/food processor and blend well. Mix into yoghurt then pour entire mixture over wings and coat well. Cover and refrigerate for 48 hours (you can do it for 24 hours too).

Take chicken out of fridge 2 hours before you eat. Pre heat oven to gas mark 5, then line a baking tray or grill tray with foil. Lightly baste the tray with oil. Spread wings out and cook for 20-25 mins turning once in between. Once cooked, keep in a bowl to one side.

For moshla (masala):
3 tbsp oil (i like adding 1 tbsp ghee instead if 1 tbsp oil)
2 tsp paanch puran (5 spice or mix of cumin seeds, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, methi seeds and nigella seeds)
2 cinnamon sticks
2 cardamoms
3 bay leaves
4 peppercorns
3 cloves
1 inch ginger, grated
5 cloves garlic, grated
5 large onions, sliced thickly
1-2 yellow capsicum, thick slices
1-2 green capsicum, thick slices
Salt to taste
1 1/2 tsp hot madras curry powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp dhaniya (coriander) powder
1 tsp zeera (cumin) powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
Chopped coriander

In a thick bottomed pan, pour your oil and allow to heat. While on medium heat, add in all your dry spices and allow to infuse oil for a minute. Add your garlic and ginger and brown slightly. Add the onions and stir well.

When onions go slightly transluscent, add in the capsicum and salt. Again stir well. Onions and capsicum may stick slightly to bottom of pan. Continue stirring, adding a little bit if water if sticks too much. After 10 minutes, when onions and capsicum are both browned, add in your spice powders and a little water. Continue stirring, then turn heat down. Cover and allow to steam for about 5 minutes.

If you would like to eat your wings and masala seperately, add coriander to masala at this point and serve seperate. However, i like adding the wings to the onions. I stir and cover for 5 minutes to allow flavours of wings and onions to fuse together, then finish with coriander.

Serve with fried rice, basmati or naan.

The aroma from this dish always travels upstairs and despite my husband being a night worker, he always wakes up to the fragrance. This is a husband proof dish most definitely. A word of advice - always make a few extra wings and hide them somewhere no one but you knows. I do :)

Please let me know what you think of this dish, and definitely if you cook it. You do have to be patient a few days,  but it is so so so worth it!

Enjoy!

Yaz ♥