Chicken Steam Roast

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg whole chicken, skin on, cut into 8 pieces
• 150 g thick plain yogurt, whisked smooth
• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1½ tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 2 tsp salt, or to taste
• 1 tsp coriander seeds, coarsely crushed
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp white pepper powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves), crushed between palms
• 3 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 medium onions, thickly sliced
• 4 green chillies, whole
• 100 ml water
• 2 tbsp butter, melted, for brushing
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

Instructions

1. Pat the chicken pieces dry. Make two or three deep slashes in each thick piece, such as the thighs and breasts, so the marinade reaches the meat.
2. In a large bowl, mix the yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, chilli powder, salt, crushed coriander, cumin, garam masala, white pepper, turmeric, kasuri methi and 1 tbsp of the oil into a thick paste.
3. Coat the chicken well, working the paste into the slashes and under the skin. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight for the best flavour.
4. Take the chicken out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Heat the oven to 230°C (210°C fan).
5. Spread the sliced onions and whole green chillies over the base of a wide heavy pot. Pour in the water and the remaining 2 tbsp oil.
6. Arrange the chicken on top of the onions in a single snug layer, skin side up, and scrape any leftover marinade over it. Cover with foil, press it around the rim, then set the lid on top to seal in the steam.
7. Bring to a gentle simmer on medium heat, then lower to the lowest heat. Steam for 30 minutes without lifting the lid. The chicken is ready when the juices run clear and the thickest piece reads 74°C.
8. Lift the chicken onto a baking tray, skin side up, keeping the onions and juices in the pot. Brush the skin with half the melted butter.
9. Roast in the hot oven for 15 to 20 minutes, brushing with the rest of the butter halfway, until the skin is deeply golden with a few dark spots at the edges.
10. While the chicken roasts, put the pot back on high heat with the lid off. Cook the onions and juices for 5 minutes, stirring often, until you have a thick, spoonable gravy. Taste and adjust the salt.
11. Rest the roasted chicken for 5 minutes. Serve with the onion gravy spooned over or alongside, and lemon wedges.

Tips

• Do not lift the lid during steaming. The foil-and-lid seal is what keeps the chicken juicy without any extra water.
• Keep the skin on. It protects the meat during steaming and browns in the oven.
• If your pot is too small for one layer, steam in two batches or stack the pieces loosely, moving the top pieces to the bottom halfway through.
• Use thick, hung yogurt. Watery yogurt makes the marinade slide off and the skin brown less well.