Chicken Masala Roast with Soya sauce #Thanksgiving #Christmas #New Year

These days I have to admit are particularly hard for me to blog. Not because I am extremely busy but instead not too fine and dandy. I miss my Mum a lot and Christmas is a time to spend with family. These last 3 years Mum did not have Christmas celebrated at our ancestral home as 2012 we had lost my dad's youngest bro and 2013 Mum's youngest bro passed away. 2014 we lost our grandma (Dad's mom) and this year Mum was taken by Our Lord. So it is particularly hard this year as not only did I lose Mum but we didn't spend Christmas together for 4 years now.

Growing up Mum always designed our Christmas celebrations perfectly. I remember our childhood Christmases and there is not one thing I would change about it. Mum's roasts were raved about all year through be it her Turkey roasts over Christmas or all year through with our healthy Chicken roasts. Bliss! I am sure all our relatives who have attended our Christmas parties or any party thrown by Mum would vouch for her roasts and celebratory meals.

I have played a lot with the different roasts made over the years. So since we are not celebrating Christmas or the New Year, I decided that I would help you my dear readers with some of my best roasts made over the last year(s) (the recipes of which I have not posted yet) to help you with the upcoming Thanksgiving meal preparation (November 26, 2015), Christmas 2015 and New Year 2016. So my not celebrating does have it advantages, I am available at your disposal for any and all queries regarding your celebratory meal. And when you do try these out, do say a little prayer for my dear Mum and our family or send a positive thought in our direction. We really need it.

I need to specially thank three people in life, my dear friend Shireen (Shirs) who helped me get back on track with writing on my blog (Thanks Shirs my motivator) , my buddy Suzanne (Sue) who needed some help with her upcoming Thanksgiving meal prep (Thanks Sue I got a wake up call through your request) and my darling hubby (always thankful to you for your motivation and pep talks) who gave me a jolted shake this morning to get out of the gloomy valleys and move up hill. I also thank my many readers who were/are looking out for simple roast recipes. I hope the upcoming recipes along with the previous ones on Turkey Roast Delight (which can be adopted with the humble chook as well minus the cook time) ,  Lemon and Herb Roast Chicken , Jamie Oliver's Perfect Pork Loin with crackling , etc. helps you prepare your perfect albeit simple Thanksgiving or Christmas or New Year meal. I am available on gginazkitchenette@gmail.com for any of your queries regarding these meal preparations or any others. Also my dear vegetarian and vegan friends/family/readers, I am  available here to tell you how to cook your perfect vegetarian celebratory meal.

Now on with the recipe:

What you need:

• 1200 gms of  perfectly cleaned chook or chicken with skin on
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp heaps of Garam Masala
• 2 tbsp heaps Chili Powder
• 1 tbsp pepper powder
• 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder
• 2-3 tbsp of ginger-garlic paste
• 3-4 cloves of garlic
• 1" pc of ginger
• 1 tbsp soya sauce
• A drizzle of oil
• Water as required

The Make:
Preparation Time: 10 minutes | Roast Time: 1 hour | Serves 6-8 adults | Marinade and resting time: min 1 hour 

1. In a large wok, heat some oil and toss in the ginger and saute for half a minute, then add the garlic for about 20 seconds and saute on low heat.
2. Then add all of the ingredients except the chook and saute well for about a minute.
3. Add a drizzle of water as required to form a thick marinade paste. Keep adding water as required taking care to retain the thick paste texture and not be to watery.
4. Saute for another minute until the masala leaves the sides of the pan or is cooked.
5. Set aside to cool for a few minutes and grind the paste to a fine consistency.
6. Next marinate your chook well all over and in the cavity as well. Let it stand for about half hour at least and up to 4 hours (in the refrigerator if required).
7. Preheat the oven to 200°C.  Next prepare the roasting pan either well oiled or with foil paper and grease lightly. Place the chook carefully on the roasting pan. I always advise my readers to add their favourite veggies either inside the cavity of the chicken (depending on their stuffing type it would take more than an hour to cook the chook) or at the sides of the chook (in which case it would take up to the hour).
8. Slide the roasting pan into the oven on 180°C. Lightly cover (do not tuck the foil at the sides) the chook's breast with a foil paper to keep the breast tender and moist.
9. Roast for about an hour checking at the 30 minutes and 45 minute time to see if tenderised and cooked. Uncover the foil at the 45 minute mark and allow the chook to roast for the remaining 15 minutes without the foil. If required continue for another 10-15 minutes until the breast in nice and springy and the limbs seems soft enough to pull off with your fingers (do not actually pull the limbs off at this stage :) )

If using an oven without a top flame oven, please turn the chook over at the 30 minute mark. This requires some amount of skill to avoid burning your hands/fingers. However a good pair of tongs and a large ladle always helps. It would also help to slide out the roasting tray at the 30 minute mark in this case before turning over the chook.

Serve hot with with your favourite sides, salads, choice of breads. Flat breads would go well with this make of roast.