Week 25: Tandoori-Style Grilled Meat or Shrimp

This weekend's warm weather inspired this on-the-verge-of-Spring choice. It was in the "fast dinners" category of the Epicurious site (20 minutes active time, apparently), and offers some flexibility in protein -- great in a pinch. Here we go again with an Indian dish, though I expect the taste to be different from our past recipes; plus, it calls for a grill! So plug it in, or fire it up -- can't wait to taste this one!

Ingredients (for 6 servings):

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 bunch cilantro, stems removed
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 3-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1/2 medium onion, peeled and cut into chunks
• 3 tablespoons garam masala
• Juice of 3 large limes
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 pounds lamb chops, chicken breasts (cut into 1-inch pieces), or shrimp (peeled and deveined)

Preparation:

1 In a blender, puree the first 8 ingredients until they form a paste.

2 In a large bowl, toss your protein with the marinade. Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.

3 When ready to cook, heat the grill and shake any excess marinade from the protein. Grill 9 minutes for chops, 6 to 8 minutes a side on a covered grill for chicken, or 4 minutes a side for shrimp. Serve.