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marinate
refrigerated, covered
chicken + yogurt + lemon juice + half the ginger + half the garlic + turmeric + cumin + coriander + 1 tsp paprika + chili powder + 0.5 tsp garam masala + 0.75 tsp salt — yoghurt works differently from a straight acid marinade: its lactic acid is mild and its calcium switches on the meat's own proteases, so the fibres loosen from within instead of the surface going chalky and tight the way it does in a lemon-only soak. Four hours is the floor; overnight is better, and past about 24 hours thigh meat starts to go pasty