Tandoori cooking is a kind of barbeque practiced in Northern
India. A clay oven, named the tandoor, is used. The tandoor Oven
is about five feet tall and has heated coals in the bottom to provide the heat.
The tandoor oven relies on the natural cooking medium of charcoal. The intense
heat inside, created by the hot coals cook the meat, seafood or chicken pieces
very quickly. The food becomes crispy on the outside while remaining juicy
inside.
Tandoori Marinade
The food is first marinated either in dry spices or a spice and yogurt
mixture and is then threaded onto very long metal skewers and lowered into the
oven. Naan, and Indian flat bread is also cooked in a tandoor oven by pressing
the dough onto the inside walls and then prying it off when it is done.
Most marinades used in Indian barbecue are yogurt or lime based. Many of the
recipes require overnight marinating for the right amount of tenderization and
flavor to come through. Some of the cooking can be done ahead of time. And
then, all that is needed is a few minutes of grilling on the grill. It is one
of the best ways to turn your simple backyard entertaining into an exotic
affair. Tandoori cooking does not use much oil or ghee and therefore can be
used when pursuing a low calorie diet.
How to Cook Tandoori Style
It is impossible to create the exact flavor and texture of tandoori foods
without a tandoor oven. However, one can use a gas or a coal barbecue grill to make
an approximation of tandoori. Use a covered charcoal grill with a few drops of
liquid smoke to get a wonderful flavor to your meats.
Clay pots are nowadays being used for at home tandoori cooking. They are
found in a variety of sizes in many Hispanic markets. When cooking with clay,
the pot must be soaked in cold water for at least 15 minutes. If it hasn't been
used before, it should be soaked for at least 30 minutes. During the soaking,
the terra cotta absorbs moisture which is released when the pot is in the oven,
thus creating a moist cooking atmosphere. The clay pot must be placed in a cold
oven and heated gradually. Set the temperature once the pot is inside. Never
place in a preheated oven.