Malai Chicken

Ingredients

• 5 tbsp rapeseed (canola) oil
• 2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 – 4 green bird's eye chillies, finely chopped
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• Pinch of saffron threads
• 1 kg (2 1/4 lbs) chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite sized tikka
• 250ml (1 cup) double (heavy) cream
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 2 tsp royal (black) cumin
• 3 tbsp cream cheese
• 4 tbsp coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
• 100g (1/2 cup) Greek yoghurt

Steps

1. Heat the ghee in a small pan over a low heat, add the royal (black) cumin seeds and let them splutter. Set aside and allwo to cool to room temperature.
2. Now pour the oil into a deep tray and add the garlic and ginger paste, salt, turmeric, chopped chillies, lemon juice and saffron. Add the chicken tikka and half the cream. Rub this into the chicken, cover and marinate while you prepare the rest of the marinade or over night.
3. Push the marinating chicken to one side of the tray and spoon in the rest of the cream, the cream cheese, chopped coriander (cilantro) and yoghurt to the other side of the tray.
4. Work these ingredients together with your hands until they are completely emulsified. This takes about 5 minutes. Pour the cumin and ghee mixture over the chicken and then mix the chicken into the creamy marinade. You could start cooking immediately but if you can allow at least 30 minutes or 24 hours to marinate it will be even better.
5. To cook the chicken, thread the pieces onto skewers and grill over direct heat until charred on the outside. Alternatively, bake in an oven at 200c (444f) for 6 – 8 minutes or until cooked through.