The Christmas feast in our family gives turkey pride of place, but cooked Indian style.
This tandoori marinade can be increased in quantity to marinate a whole turkey. Dried fenugreek leaves can be found in any Indian grocery store. They are essential to adding that typical Indian curry aroma to the food. I haven't used any tandoori food colouring here, but feel free to add a pinch of it to the marinade if you want to produce that bright red tandoori colour for your bird.
If the weather co-operates, grill skewers outside on a barbecue. Otherwise, the oven works just as well.
For more recipes from Smita Chandra, visit www.smitachandra.com.
Servings: 4 to 6
Ingredients
2 pounds (900 grams) skinless, boneless turkey breast, cubed into 1-inch (2.5-cm) bite-sized pieces
6 cloves garlic, grated or minced
1-inch (2.5-cm) piece ginger, grated or minced
4 tablespoons plain Greek-style full-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons oil
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds
1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon saffron strands
4 tablespoons lemon juice
Method
Place turkey in deep mixing bowl. Add all remaining ingredients to bowl. Mix well, tossing turkey to coat with marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or preferably overnight.
Heat outdoor barbecue grill to medium low. Lift turkey from marinade and thread onto skewers. Cover and grill for about 8 to10 minutes per side. Turn skewers occasionally while cooking.
If roasting in an oven, preheat oven to 400 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. If you have a grilling wire rack (like the kind used for cooling cookies), place it on top of parchment. Place turkey pieces in a single layer on wire rack or directly on parchment. Bake for 8 minutes per side, turning pieces once. Turn broiler on in oven. Place tray under broiler for 2 minutes to give turkey a lightly charred look.