I used to be a pretty chubby kid, mostly because I viewed eating, as so much else, as a form of competition in which you won by eating more than anyone else. As I learned portion control (and found tennis, track, rugby, cycling and the gym) I slimmed off and now I compete by cooking tastier, cheaper, or more beautifully than I ever have before. That said, I have my moments in which I want to pig out and the end result of this recipe created just that sort of moment. I had one bite of this garam masala and yogurt marinated chicken and immediately set aside leftovers for lunch -- otherwise, they wouldn't be there tomorrow.
Spurred on by low price-per-pound chicken and a half-dose of boredom I decided to try marinating in greek yogurt. For those unaware, greek yogurt is a denser, more proteinaceous version of the regular type, one in which excess liquid and whey have been pressed or drained off -- it's pretty healthy too, hence its recent availability in stores. I'm not exactly a health nut, but I try to maximize protein in my daily diet so I keep the stuff on hand.
I've not marinated in yogurt before, and though I've heard the process lends itself to keeping meat moist and still imbuing intended flavors, I was still wary. I've had some bad experiences with marinating in general and have in the last several years become much enamored of using rubs as an alternative.
But, my hesitations aside, I mixed the yogurt with finely diced onion, minced garlic, lemon juice and salt and pepper, these being the combinations I recall from eating similar dishes in restaurants. A quick online search suggested garam masala (a pungent mixture of Indian spices) and ginger as a great way to flavor the marinade; I could have gone more Mediterranean and used cucumber and dill, but I was feeling more Asian today. It took ten minutes to prep; I threw everything in a bag, mixed it up and put it in the fridge. Six hours of wandering around D.C. in 50 degree weather and five minutes on the Foreman grill later, and I was sold on yogurt marinades.
Wow. The yogurt created a thin crust on the outside of each thigh and made the interior nearly creamy. The lemon and garlic was evident in every bite and made my mouth water for the next. Interesting, the spices I chose were pretty much indiscernible; either I used too little or I used precisely the right amount and they melded perfectly into the greater complex of flavors. I am literally sad looking at this empty blue plate.
Last week's recipe was NOTHING to this. THIS is what I want to do with chicken from now on; I can't wait until I can grill this recipe over charcoal. Now my mouth is watering again...
PS: I need to get a better way to take this pictures. This Blackberry bullshit is awful.