Tandoori Grouse by Vineet Bhatia

Ingredients
(Serves four)

 

For the spice-crusted tandoori grouse
4 grouse breasts, skinless and boneless
Marinade 1
8g ginger paste
8g garlic paste
Salt to taste
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Marinade 2
1tsp fennel seed
1tsp coriander seed
4 green cardamom
1 star anise
1 whole red chilli
300ml water
Salt to taste
Marinade 3
100ml vegetable oil

 

For the grouse legs 500ml water
4 grouse legs, skinless
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1in stem ginger, crushed
1 green chilli, crushed
1 whole red chilli
2 sprigs curry leaves
1/2 cup coriander stalk
Salt to taste

 

For the grouse leg pulao 300g basmati rice, boiled
25ml vegetable oil
25ml butter, unsalted
8g black mustard seeds
5g ginger juliennes
5g green chilli julienne
1 sprig curry leaves
1 crushed whole red chilli
15g pine kernels, roasted
Juice of 1/2 lemon
5g chopped fresh coriander
Salt to taste

 

For the cumin-tempered spinach 500g large spinach leaves
30g butter, unsalted
5g cumin seeds
2 cloves chopped garlic
50g chopped red onion
Salt to taste

 

For the tomato kadhi 40ml oil
5g black mustard seeds
2 whole red chilli
1 sprig curry leaf
Pinch of asafoetida
1in stem ginger, crushed
1 green chilli, crushed
300g plum tomato, crushed
20g gram flour
5g turmeric powder
50g whipped yogurt
300ml grouse liquor
Salt to taste

 

Method For the grouse breast, make four light gashes on each breast. Mix all ingredients of marinade 1 and rub into the grouse breast; leave for 30 minutes.

 

Toast spices of marinade 2 lightly and crush coarsely in a mortar and pestle. Rub these spices on the breast, sprinkle with salt and infuse in water.

 

Leave the marinated grouse for six hours and then strain the water. Steep the grouse along with the spices in oil (marinade 3) for a further six hours. Cook in the tandoor or in a moderately hot oven till cooked through.

 

For the grouse legs, poach legs in the water with herbs and spices till the meat leaves the bone. Strain the liquor and keep back for the sauce. Bone the legs and cut into pea-sized cubes.

 

For the grouse leg pulao, heat oil in a wok, add butter and in quick succession add the black mustard seeds. As the seeds splutter (meaning the oil is hot), add ginger, green chilli juliennes, curry leaves, crushed red chilli and pine kernels. Add the grouse leg cubes and boiled rice. Toss well and finish with lemon juice, chopped coriander and salt.

 

For the cumin-tempered spinach, devein the fresh spinach leaves, wash and drain. In a wok, add butter, bring to medium heat and then add cumin seeds along with chopped garlic; saut‚ for a minute. Add chopped red onions, saut‚ till translucent, then add spinach leaves and salt. Cook till the spinach wilts.

 

For the tomato kadhi, in a bowl, mix together gram flour, turmeric powder, yogurt and grouse liquor till smooth. In a heavy bottomed pan, heat oil and add mustard seeds. As they crackle, add the whole red chillies, curry leaves, crushed ginger and crushed green chilli. Saut‚ for a minute and then add asafoetida.

 

Add the crushed plum tomatoes and cook till a thickish sauce is formed.

 

Add the gram flour mix to this tomato mixture, stirring well. Bring the mixture to a boil, add salt and continue boiling till the gram flour is cooked.

 

Finally, strain the sauce to obtain the tomato kadhi. Serve with the tandoori grouse.

 

Vineet Bhatia is chef-proprietor of Michelin-starred Rasoi Vineet Bhatia in Chelsea, London.

 

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