Roast Sumac and Lemon Chicken

This recipe is taken from David Herbert's Spice Route recipe, focusing on Sumac, the ground spice from the Middle East. The chicken needs the Yoghurt sauce to bring out the flavour of the lemon and sumac in the chicken. It is a tasty dish and leftovers  taste even better the next day.


1 large free-range chicken
2 lemons, roughly chopped
3 small shallots, peeled and chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and squashed
2 tablespoons sumac
1 tablespoon olive oil

Yoghurt Sauce:

1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
500g pot natural yoghurt
1 long red chilli, thinly sliced
4 spring onions, sliced


Heat oven to 200 deg. C. In a bowl mix lemons, shallots and garlic with half the sumac and some salt. Spoon mixture into cavity of chicken. Brush chicken with oil and sprinkle over remaining sumac. Roast for 1 1/2 hours, or until cooked. Mix ingredients for yoghurt sauce; add salt. Carve chicken; serve with a dollop of sauce.

Serves 4.

To drink, a juicy young pinot noir such as the 2013 Red Fox from Victoria's Mornington Peninsula.