Chicken Tandoori Masala

I came up with this combination, during a day which had me craving for something smoky, something chicken and something spicy. It serves well with tandoori naan, parathas, puri or even pita bread. Go crazy. You can use cayenne pepper instead of Kashmiri red chili; I find the latter gives a wonderfully vibrant colour to the dish - it's available in most South Asian spice selling stores. But no need to stress if you can't find it - just use cayenne pepper.

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:
Boneless or Bone-in Chicken: 500g
Garlic Paste: 2.5tsp
Ginger Paste: 1.5tsp
Lemon Juice: 1 lemon
Oil: 3Tbsp
Onions: 2 medium; peeled & blended with a little water
Yogurt: 0.5cup
Kashmiri Chili Powder: 0.5tsp
Turmeric Powder: 0.5tsp
Salt: to taste
Coriander Powder 1.5Tbsp
Garam Masala: 1tsp
Butter: 2tsp
Cilantro: 1Tbsp, chopped
Green Chilies: 1-2, chopped (optional)

Directions:
1. Marinate chicken with 0.5tsp garlic paste, 0.5tsp ginger paste & lemon juice. Keep aside for 45 minutes.
2. Heat 2tbsp oil & add in the blended onions.
3. In a cup, mix in yogurt, Kashmiri red chili, turmeric powder, salt, coriander powder, garam masala, 0.5tsp of garlic paste & 0.5tsp of ginger paste.
4. When onion becomes translucent, add in 0.5tsp garlic paste & fry for a few mins.
5. Add in yogurt mixture into frying onion with 1tsp garlic paste & 0.5tsp ginger paste.
6. Fry well adding water to stop burning. Don't dump in oodles amount of water; just enough spritzes to stop burning & sticking to the pan.
7. Fry chicken in another pan with butter and 1Tbsp oil, till the chicken turns color.
8. Add chicken to the frying onion - yogurt mixture & cook a bit more.
9. Light up a coal till it's demonic red and place in a piece of foil. Put this smoking hot coal into the cooked chicken pot & cover tightly. Smoke it well.
10. Garnish with chopped cilantro & green chilies.