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Yogurt-based marinades are a great way to tenderize and flavor meat, fish, and vegetables for grilling. The ingredients added depend on the type of food and cooking style, and marinating time varies. Yogurt also prevents meat from drying out when grilled. Recipes include lamb with mint, garlic, and lemon, tandoori chicken with garlic and ginger, and fish with tarragon and lime zest. Coconut milk can also be added for a Thai twist.
A good marinade for meat, fish or vegetables includes an acidic base that helps break down connective tissue to make the food more tender along with one or more flavoring agents. While many cooks regularly dip cuts of meat in vinegar or wine, not everyone knows that yogurt-based marinades are a wonderful way to prepare foods for outdoor or indoor grilling. The cheeky ginger of the yogurt combines well with any number of flavor enhancers from garlic and ginger to lime and curry. The ingredients added to make the best yogurt marinade largely depend on the type of food and cooking style.
The time to marinate a food is generally determined by what it is. While beef can handle an overnight soak, chicken and fish are more delicate, and a strong acid-based marinade can turn them to mush if they sit in the bath too long. The yogurt marinade, however, is gentle enough for poultry to absorb its flavors for eight hours or more. Yogurt not only breaks down connective tissue, but it also hardens the meat so that when grilled, it doesn’t dry out so easily.
Lamb and yogurt have been paired in the kitchens of Mediterranean cooks for eons. Lamb chops or cut-up pieces for shish kabob can take a nice long dip in a yogurt-based marinade to which mint, garlic and lemon have been added. Instead of lemon, wine vinegar or white wine can stand.
A favorite quick meal for cooks around the world is tandoori chicken. This Indian dish features a yogurt marinade that includes garlic and ginger, a splash of vinegar, and condiments like garam masala powder or paste, and ground cumin. The marinade protects the roasted chicken, which means it can be cooked in a very hot oven or grill without drying out.
Fish steaks such as tuna or swordfish benefit from a deep-sea dip in a fragrant herb-yoghurt marinade. This one adds equal parts mayonnaise, a splash of milk, and tarragon to the mix. For added pizzazz, lime zest kicks can be used on a nice high note, or a drop or two of hot sauce can be used.
Coconut milk added in a 2:1 mix to the yogurt marinade is another way to go. This marinade lends a Thai sensibility to chicken, fish or meat. Ginger, curry paste or powder, and garlic deepen the flavors and a little fresh coriander kicks it up a notch. A little peanut butter adds a wonderful richness, particularly to chicken, without overwhelming it.
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