This meal is on high rotation in our household, easy, healthy Indian food that the kids love and is quick to prepare on any night of a busy week. It's full of flavour and healthy spices, without any of the additives or colourings you might expect in a processed or commercial version.
To serve 4-6 you will need:
Chicken tikka
1 kilo of chicken thigh or tenderloin; wings and legs also works well if you increase the cooking time
2 heaped tablespoons of bottle masala (or vindaloo masala if you like it spicier)
2 tablespoons of olive or coconut oil
3 cloves of crushed garlic
2 heaped tablespoons of full fat greek yoghurt
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of sugar
1/2 a teaspoon of beetroot powder (optional, to give the chicken a lovely colour)
2 lemons, sliced
A large handful of fresh coriander
Trim any fat from chicken, and either leave whole or cut into pieces around an inch square if you want to skewer it and place in a large bowl.
Mix all ingredients apart from the chicken into a paste, add to the chicken and mix well so it is all rubbed in. Marinate for as long as you have, half an hour or overnight if you are organised.
When you are ready to cook the chicken, you can either barbecue or grill it - whole pieces or skewers, basting with marinade juices as you go.
Serve with a generous squeeze of lemon, lemon wedges and fresh coriander.
Bombay potato wedges
4-6 large potatoes, I like Royal Blue or a potato that will roast well
1/2 teaspoon of black mustard seeds
3/4 teaspoon of cumin seeds
3/4 teaspoon of turmeric
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
1/4 teaspoon of paprika or kashmiri chilli powder
1/4 teaspoon of amchur (dried mango powder) (optional if you don't have any)
2 tablespoons of ghee, coconut or olive oil
Mix all of the spices into the oil to form a paste.
Cut the potatoes into wedges, either with or without skin, and mix the spice paste into them.
Arrange in a single layer on an oven tray and bake for around 30 minutes in a hot oven, around 220 degrees celsius, until brown, shaking halfway to turn them.
Serve with lemon or lime squeezed over them.