A guide to getting smoked chicken rightThat smoky square of meat dressed in a tawny glaze and crackling on the steamy grill comes with a helping of history. From our forefathers who tamed fire and learned to cook vegetables and meat on it,to the barbeque grills that American households have proudly owned,the grilled dish has worked its way into international cuisine. While Germans and Scandinavians prefer to keep their meats robust on flavours and tough on textures,the Americans patronise it as a backyard ritualsometimes smoking pork chops or flipping crispy burger patties. But a barbeque and a grilled dish are two different things. Lets not confuse grilling with barbeque which is a more American concept and requires slow cooking Americans do it mostly with sausages and minced patties. Grilling is more European whole meats quickly smoked on a griddle pan, says Mayank Tiwari,senior sous chef at Smoke House Grill,Delhi. In our desi kitchens,smoked meats need no introduction. Theyve always found a place of honour in our cuisine. Chef M,as Tiwari likes to be called,says,We are used to concepts like tandoor and pot roasts. Also,we love our meats well-cooked and with grilling you can easily achieve that.We follow the chef as he takes us behind the steel doors and into the restaurants kitchen,which is still warm from lunch hour-cooking. Tiwari is set to show us how to turn out a grilled chicken dish called the The House Spiced Smoke Chicken. Cut to cutFirst comes the meat. Get your basics right, says Tiwari. Most supermarkets stock decently-cut chicken breasts and well-sized steaks. But if it is a local butcher that you plan to visit,be alert, he says. The butcher may put in extra sheets of fat along with the meat. Always score the skin if there is an extra layer of fat on the chicken breast, he says. But the edges should not be too thin. Thin edges tend to burn quickly while grilling and give a burnt flavour to the meat. If you plan to binge on red meat,Tiwari suggests you stick to lamb chops or get the pieces thinly sliced because Indian lamb is tough and takes longer to cook. Pork chops and pork loins also cook fast enough but if you want to grill fish,go for king mackerel and get it sliced darne (fish steak) or as a fillet. The grill mileAt Smoke House Grill,Tiwari uses a regular griddle tray (usually it is a flat plate of metalaluminium,stainless steel or cast iron) fired with a gas heater. The markets are flooded with grills. There are electronic ones too and covered grills for outdoors, he says. Many who grill at home complain that the meat gets stuck to the griddle tray when heated. Sprinkle some oil and then place the meat on the hot griddle,it will keep it from sticking,says Tiwari. For those who dont have a grilling pan handy,a regular pan with grooves will also do,says Tiwari. The meat mantraMarination is the key to a divine grilled dish. For a portion of freshly procured chicken,two to three hours of marination works fine and steak usually tenderises in five to six hours, says Tiwari. However,the key is to marinate it for long. At Smoke House we marinate meat in olive oil and herbs like rosemary and basil,so that the grilled meat can be used with a variety of different dressings. Never add salt into the marinade,it squeezes out the moisture from the meat. Add salt just before throwing the meat on the grill or sprinkle it while cooking, he says,slapping thin portions of chicken breasts,dripping with oil on the hot grill. Tiwari suggests marinating the meat with a bit of oil to tenderise it better. For added flavour,he says,You can put some garlicchopped or whole. Avoid ginger because it is too robust and will dominate the taste. For hard meat,you can use a bit of papaya salt,which acts like a tenderiser. Mastering the flamesAlways first cook the side which will go upwards on the plate. This way you quickly trap the moisture. Also it is important to lay the meats slant-wise first on a criss cross griddle. Your meat will get a perfect criss-cross of brown lines, says Tiwari,as the pieces of chicken breasts crackle in agreement over the griddle.Timing is also crucial while working at a grill. Chicken and fish usually cook within five to seven minutes,but a heavy piece of steak could take up to 10 minutes. Never leave the meat unattended for there is no solution to a burnt piece of meat except cooking a fresh one. Outdoor grills usually come with a dome and you can close it while the meats cooking so that it traps the moisture, says Tiwari. If you are in a terrible rush,he does have a solution. Tan the meat on the grill and put it in the oven for two or three minutes for a perfect finish. Check on the thickest side of the meat for any signs of pink colour,if there is none,the meat is ready to eat. Serve to winIt is easy to play around with grilled meat when it comes to presentation. Pair it with your choice of fruits or vegetables and there is no rule-book scowling at you over a wrong match. These days everybody is experimenting. Even bananas,that seem like the unlikeliest of fruits to go with a grill dish,have takers. The Jamaicans love to pair bananas with their grills, he says,pulling out a large square plate to spread out the sizzling hot cooked chicken pieces.He puts together a bed of Lyonnaise potatoes (a French dish made with caramelised onions,butter and pan-fried potatoes. You can do with a stack of crispy potato wedges as well) and gently places the chicken breasts on top of it. Next he stacks up a few sticks of French beans and pours down a bit of house dressing. You can easily play around with the sauce. Please avoid using bottled barbeque sauces. They are so done-to-death. Try topping the grilled meats with a spicy salsa or even a homemade honey and mustard dressing, he says. Tiwari ends by garnishing the dish with a garlic pod,baked and cut into half.Verdict: We give it a nine out of 10,simply because there is no limit to the kind of combinations you can create with your favourite fruits/vegetables and meat.
