Tandoor

Encyclopedia : T : TA : TAN : Tandoor

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A tandoor is a cylindrical clay oven used in Punjab northern India and Pakistan in which food is cooked over a hot charcoal fire. Temperatures in a tandoor can approach 480°C (900°F). It is common for tandoor ovens to remain lit for long periods of time to maintain the high cooking temperature.

The oldest example of a tandoor was found in the Harappa and Mohenjo Daro settlements of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization. In Sanskrit, the tandoor was referred to as kandu. The word tandoor comes from the Urdu words tandūr and tannūr; these derive from the Persian tanūr, which comes from the Arabic word tannūr, from which Turkish word Tandır (which has the same meaning as explained in the article) originates. It is used for cooking certain types of Indian and Pakistani food, such as tandoori chicken and bread varieties like tandoori roti and naan. (The word tandoori is the adjective form.) It is also known as a tonir in Armenian which is a widely used method of cooking barbeque and lavash bread.

The tandoor is also known by another name of 'Bhatti' in India. The Bhatti tribe of the Thar Desert of Northwestern India and Eastern Pakistan developed the Bhatti in their desert abode, and thus it gained the name of Bhatti. It is thought to have travelled to Central Asia and the Middle East along with the Gypsies or Roma, who originated amongst the Thar Desert tribes.

The tandoor is currently a very important fixture in many Indian restaurants around the world. Food cooked in a tandoor retains all the juices and taste inside and hence is considered very healthy. Many people have installed a tandoor in their homes for making bread and kababs. Some modern day tandoors use electricity or gas instead of charcoal.

Tandoori Cuisine

Chicken Tikka

see main article, Chicken Tikka

Chicken tikka (Hindi: ; / mugɣ ʈikkɑː /) is a South Asian dish made by baking small pieces of chicken which have been marinated in spices and yogurt. It is traditionally made on skewers in a tandoor (Indian clay oven) and is usually boneless. It is typically eaten with a green coriander chutney, or used in a Chicken Tikka Masala.

Tandoori Chicken

see main article, Tandoori Chicken

Tandoori Chicken is a chicken dish dating back to the time of the Mughal Empire in Central and Southern Asia, it is still popular throughout that area. It has gained popularity even among people whose religion forbids the consumption of meat (Hinduism/Sikhism) in India. The chicken is marinated in a yogurt seasoned with garam masala - garlic, ginger, cumin, cayenne pepper, and other spices depending on the recipe. It is traditionally quite hot. Cayenne, red chili powder, or other spices give it its red color. Turmeric produces a yellow-orange color. In some modern versions red and yellow food coloring is used instead. It is traditionally cooked at high temperatures in an earthen oven (i.e. tandoor), but can also be prepared on a traditional grill.

See also

• Masonry oven
• Khubz
• Punjabi cuisine

 

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