2 tbsp sajji masala (a special spice mix, see Know-how below)
Juice of 1 lemon
Method:
Rub the chicken all over with the salt, pepper and garlic. Heat a pan big enough to hold the chicken, then add the oil. When hot, add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, for 5-6 minutes until the bird is lightly browned all over. Take off the heat and leave to cool.
Heat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5. Put the chicken in a roasting tin and loosely cover with foil. Roast for 1 hour, basting the chicken several times with the juices, until the top is golden and the juices run clear when the thickest part of the meat is pierced with a skewer. If you have a digital thermometer, push it into the thickest part of the meat to check it has reached 70°C.
Lift the chicken onto a board and let it rest for 15 minutes, then cut into quarters. Sprinkle over the sajji masala, squeeze over the lemon juice, then serve with steamed rice.
Tips:
You can use the chicken sajji carcass to make a stock base for a great soup. Put it in a large pan with enough cold water to cover, then add 3 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, a 5cm piece fresh ginger and some fresh coriander stalks. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 2 hours. Discard the carcass, strain the stock through a sieve, then reheat in a pan. Serve topped with shredded leftover chicken, a sprinkle of chaat masala (an Indian spice mix that’s widely available) and a squeeze of lime juice.
If you want to make your own Sajji masala, here’s how: In a pestle and mortar or spice grinder, grind 3 tbsp cumin seeds, 2 tbsp black peppercorns, the seeds from 6 green cardamom pods, 3 tbsp coriander seeds, 1 tsp sea salt, 1 tbsp fennel seeds and 1 tbsp amchoor/amchur (dried green mango) powder
