Whether you’ve travelled to Asia or enjoyed good Indian food locally, you’ve probably heard of the term ‘Tandoori.’ This word is commonly featured on Indian cuisine menus and will get your mouth watering if you’re a fan of flavoursome dishes packed with spices and cooked using specialised techniques. With this in mind, let’s take a closer look at what Tandoori actually is both as a type of cooking and a style of food that’s traditionally prepared in the Tandoor.
Tandoori Cooking Explained
A Tandoori oven – also known as a Tandoor – is a unique clay oven that’s commonly used in South Asian cooking to make Tandoori dishes. The oven, which is narrow at the top, wide at the bottom and typically large in size is heated using charcoal, wood or a combination of both. The heat source is placed at the bottom of the Tandoor and ignited. Temperatures then slowly rise to anywhere between 250 and 480 degrees Centigrade. This incredibly high heat is used to create the smoky, charred flavours that people know and love about Tandoori cooking.
When the Tandoori oven is up to temperature, marinated and well-seasoned meats or breads including naan will be placed on metal skewers or hooks inside the Tandoor. The food is then cooked quickly over the high heat, taking on the intense smoky flavor of the oven. What’s even better is that the marinade coating the meat tends to caramelise in the heat, resulting in even more flavour and texture. This helps to explain why Tandoori food is so popular.
Tandoori Food Explained
When looking for the ‘best Indian curry near me’ be sure that Tandoori dishes are on the menu as they really are a treat for curry lovers. To achieve the best cooking results, Indian chefs usually marinate ingredients such as chicken, lamb and fish in a yoghurt-based mix packed with herbs and spices. This tenderises the meat and also helps it to take on all the delicious flavours of the spices. Once that’s done, the meat will be placed inside the Tandoori oven as explained above, and left to cook quickly on a high heat. The yoghurt-based marinade will rapidly caramelise and it’s not uncommon to see Tandoori meat turn slightly black. This does not mean it is burnt or ruined. Instead, the charred look from the Tandoori smoke adds to the flavour.
Often, naan breads are simply pressed against the walls of the Tandoori oven. This allows them to puff up and develop a slightly crisply, golden-brown flavour. If you’ve enjoyed Indian food in the past, you’ve most likely already seen naan breads cooked in the Tandoor and enjoyed their wonderfully charred flavour.
It’s very hard to recreate the unique flavours of a Tandoori oven at home, as it requires the intense heat that a clay oven provides. That’s why many people search for ‘authentic Indian cuisine near me’ and choose delightful eateries such as Little India in South Kensington. Our restaurant offers a wide range of good Indian food including Tandoori dishes, and is perfectly situated for London tourists and locals alike. If your mouth is watering, why not book a table and enjoy your favourite dishes in a relaxed setting?
