Malai (cream) Chicken Tikka are skewered cubes of boneless chicken cooked in a tandoor or a clay oven. The secret ingredient in this recipe is the cheese which adds to the creaminess of the dish.

INGREDIENTS

• • 1 tsp lemon juice

• • 12 tsp salt

• • 2 boneless and skinless chicken breasts, approx 310g (11 oz), cut into 2cm (4/5 inch) pieces

• • 2 tbsp Greek-style natural unsweetened yogurt

• • 2 tbsp (1 oz) butter

• • 1 tbsp double cream

• • 1tbsp garlic ginger paste

• • 3 green cardamoms, seeds only

• • ½ tsp ground cumin

• • ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

• • 2 green finger chillies, finely chopped

• • 1 tbsp vegetable oil

• • 2 tbsp Cheddar cheese, finely grated

METHOD

• • Sprinkle lemon juice and salt over the chicken pieces, cover and set aside.

• • Mix the yogurt, half of the butter, cream, garlic ginger paste, cardamoms, cumin, nutmeg, chillies, the oil, and cheese and blend into a smooth paste. Pour over the chicken, making sure it is all well coated, and marinate the meat for 1 hour, covered, in the refrigerator.

• • Soak 4 – 6 wooden skewers in cold water for 15 minutes to prevent them from burning. Skewer the chicken and barbecue, or grill under a preheated grill, for 10 minutes on each side until light brown and cooked through, or simply bake in a preheated 180°C / 350°F / gas mark 4 oven for 15 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.

• • Halfway through the cooking, baste with the remaining butter (melted).

• • Serve hot with green mint chutney and tandoori naans.