Tandoori Chicken Nasi Lemak

 

Nasi lemak as we all know are Malaysian all time favorite dish. Be it for breakfast,lunch,dinner or even supper we Malaysians are in for nasi lemak. I will have my nasi lemak fix atleast once in a week and whenever the craving comes 🤣. There's too many nasi lemak vendors around my office area with varieties of condiments and side dishes to choose from. I'm spoilt with choices but,  there's this one particular old couple selling aromatic nasi lemak with typical olden days sambal which I always look for my nasi lemak day. 

Back at home,  I made nasi lemak for our weekend lunch with a twist of Indian element by adding tandoori chicken as a sides along with the usual complete condiments. The lightly charred deep red tandoori chicken goes really well with the rich and tasty rice. I'm not into food coloring thus, I added beetroot juice for the natural color of the tandoori and trust me, you'll never have to taste the raw taste of beetroot in your chicken. I baked the chicken you may grill it as well. An easy way of making tandoori chicken at home without tandoor oven. With a little squeeze of lemon,  walla your tandoori chicken nasi lemak is ready to serve. 

Ingredients

For The Rice

2 cups rice, washed and drained
2 cups coconut milk, divided
1 cup water
1 tsp salt
2"inches ginger, sliced
2 screwpine/pandan leaves, washed & knotted
1/3 tsp cherry blossom powder
6-8 pcs fresh/dried blue pea flowers 

1/4 cup hot water

For The Sambal

12-15 dried chilly, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes
3 shallots
1 yellow onion,sliced
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp belacan/dried shrimp paste
1 tsp tamarind paste dilute with 1 tbsp water
2 tbsp cooking oil
1 tsp palm sugar

For The Tandoori Chicken 

1 kg chicken, washed and cleaned 

1/2 cup mint leaves 

4 tbsp ready made tandoori masala 

4 cloves garlic

1 cup plain Greek yogurt 

2 tbsp beetroot juice 

2 green chillies 

1/3 tsp black peppercorns

Juice of 1/2 lemon 

1"inch ginger

Other Condiments

Fried anchovies
Hard boiled eggs/fried eggs
Fried peanuts
Sliced cucumbers

Methods

For The Rice

In a rice cooker, add rice,salt,sliced ginger,pandan leaves,water,coconut milk and blue pea flower water. Stir to combine and cook the rice till done.

For The Sambal

In a blender, grind together soaked dry chilly,belacan,shallots and garlic till fine.

Heat oil in a pan and saute sliced yellow onion till translucent,add bruised lemon grass and cook for another 30 seconds.

Add the ground chilly paste mixture and cook till oil started to separate and the raw smell leaves.

Add the tamarind water and season with salt and palm sugar. Stir well to combine.

Reduce heat to medium low and simmer till the mixture thickened.

For The Tandoori Chicken 

Remove skin from the chicken and cut slits for the marination to absorb.

In a blender add ginger, garlic, Greek yogurt,coriander leaves, mint leaves,salt and green chillies. Blend till fine and smooth.

Add the mixture into a large bowl and add lemon juice,beetroot juice and tandoori masala. Mix well. 

Pour the mixture over the chicken and mix well to cost the chicken pieces. Cover with lid and refrigerate to marinate at 4 hours. 

Preheat oven at 180'C and line a baking tray with parchment paper. 

Place the marinated chicken on the baking tray and bake for 45-50 minutes or till the chicken are done with slight charred marks. 

Remove from oven and serve with the rice,sambal,fried eggs, hard boiled eggs, fried anchovies,sliced cucumber and a wedge of lemon for extra kick.