Years ago I read a tip from an Indian Chef that spices keep indefinitely if stored in an airtight container in the freezer.

That tip has been a real lifesaver since I moved to Bangkok where good spice mixes are hard to come by. I could go to Pahurat, the Little India in Bangkok, but it is way across the city in a congested area, so I avoid that.

Instead I make my own spice mixes and store the different types in airtight coffee jars in the freezer. I have done this for several years now and am very sure that it works perfectly to preserve taste and fragrance.

Just yesterday I used Garam Masala from the freezer to make a Lamb Biryani and it was excellent. The moment I opened the jar, the lovely aroma of the Garam Masala came wafting out.

I already have about five different spice mixes in the freezer, and will be adding to that for sure.

1) The chicken should be well balanced on the spit. This ensures smooth rotation and does not strain the rotisserie motor. The chicken is also more evenly exposed to the heat.

2) Most of the weight of the chicken will be closer to the breast side, not the back. So the spit should run through the cavity of the chicken closer to the breast.

3) Truss the chicken before attaching to the spit, do not truss bird and spit together, ie. do not tie the bird to the spit. This ensures that should you need to make adjustments to get the bird better balanced on the spit, it is easier.

I suggest that you apply any marinade or rub, truss the bird, then attach it to the spit.

You might like to know that mounting larger birds, above 1.5kg / 3 1/4lbs is easier because there is more surface area into which you can insert the prongs of the clamps. Smaller birds can be a bit fiddly - see Step 4 below to understand why.

The instructions below assume that you have a horizontal rotisserie, and the 2 clamps that you will use can only be mounted onto the spit from 1 end, ie. the other end has a knob and is too large to insert through the clamp.

Step 1

Mount 1 clamp onto the spit without tightening the nut.

Insert the spit through the cavity of the chicken.

Step 2

Wipe the end clean with a kitchen towel. It will go into the rotisserie drive and you do not want to get marinade etc in there.

Step 3

Mount the second clamp onto the spit. Adjust so that the chicken is in the middle of the spit.

Step 4

Holding the chicken in place with one hand, with your other hand position at least 2 prongs at a meaty part of the chicken. As mentioned earlier, ensure the spit is closer to the breast side of the chicken.

Push until the prongs cannot go in any further and are securely in the chicken. 

Step 5

Use a pair of pliers to tighten the wing nut securely, taking care not to strip the threads on the nut.

I use pliers because finger tightness is not enough for my spit as heat expansion and rotation seems to loosen the nut.

As you see, the prongs are securely in the chicken and are not allowed to slip out while I tighten the nut. 

Step 6

Supporting the bird from below with one hand, raise the spit closer towards the breast side and insert the prongs of the second clamp into the bird.

When secure, put the bird down and fasten the wing nut as before.

Step 7

Lift up the spit and twirl it a few times to check the balance of the bird.

If it does not rotate smoothly, undo the second clamp and adjust the position so that there is better balance.

Step 8

Mount the spit onto the rotisserie drive and run it for a minute or two to check the balance as it rotates.

If you see the rotation slowing down as a heavy part of the bird is rotating to the top, and then  speeding up as it passes the top and ‘falls’, it means the balance is off.

You will then have to adjust the attachment of the bird to the spit so that you get a better balance. Do it while the spit is cool and it is easy.

Once balanced, the chicken is ready for roasting. I usually pre-heat the oven before the test, so I only need to shut the door and begin timing. If you do not pre-heat the oven, remove the spit and bird until you get the oven to set temperature, then mount the spit onto the rotisserie drive and begin timing.

There are many ways to truss a chicken, here I will show a simple one that I use.

Whichever way you prefer, the more you use it the easier it becomes.

Step 1

Cut about 1 metre / 40 inches of kitchen string for a small chicken (1.1kg / 2 1/2lbs),  more for larger birds.

Put the mid-point under the tail and wrap around, crossing.

Step 2

Go Under and around the legs, bring the string to the centre and cross over.

Step 3

Go around the outside of the legs, pulling the string to draw the legs together as you do so.

Bring the string under the legs then through between them to the breast.

Step 4

As you pull the string over the breast, cross over. 

Step 5

Pull each end of the string over the top of the wing, then around and under the wing, back towards the centre of the breast.

Step 6

Tie a knot over the breast.

Step 7

Lift the string at the breast a little and tuck 1 wing tip under it.

Step 8

Now tuck the other wing tip under the string.

That’s it, you’re done. Now roast the chicken and enjoy.

The first recipe I tested was billed as preparing restaurant style Chicken Makhani and whilst the results were OK, I would definitely tweak the spice mix. I need a more robust or bolder flavour, similar to what I would get at the better Indian restaurants in Bangkok. This was, for want of a better expression, insipid.

I will also end up simplifying the recipe. Yes, it was quite faithful to the restaurant process where the curry (sauce) is prepared in advance, the chicken is cooked as a separate process for a range of possible dishes, then the two married when a customer orders Chicken Makhani.

It is a time saver in restaurants for sure, where they break down a recipe so that the work can be assigned to different stations and then assembled and plated, just like a factory assembly line. What benefit is there when you are doing it all yourself?

When you cook at home, you do not have chicken cooked as a separate process for a range of possible orders, nor do you have the curry or sauce prepared in advance. Home cooking is different, and unless you especially want to recreate restaurant flavours, there is no benefit to replicating the process.

And restaurant flavours are not necessarily best. I remember dining with my buddy once and commenting that the sauce for the fish I was having seemed to have flavours all muddied, and that if I would cook it at home it would have greater clarity of flavour. Well, he is a professional chef and graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, and he knew exactly what I was talking about. His explanation simply was that the sauce was probably prepared in advance, whilst at home I would prepare it closer to the time of serving.

Philosophically also, this site is oriented to keeping it simple. So I expect to do quite a bit more experimenting before settling on a recipe I am happy with. And that’s where the satisfaction comes in really.