The tandoor oven is central to traditional North Indian cuisine, and many breads and dishes were developed specifically for these clay ovens. Paratha, naan, kulcha, roti, and other exciting breads; tandoori lamb chops, chicken tikka, tandoori chicken, seekh kabab, tandoori prawns, reshmi kabab, and a number of other dishes; and many more besides. However, only a fortunate few of us can boast having our very own tandoor at home these days. Different methods of cooking tandoori-style dishes are discussed in this article.
Tandoori Flavors Without the Tandoor
It is the design of the clay oven that gives tandoori cuisine its signature smoky flavour. Lit coals at the bottom of the oven provide the heat source for a tandoor (which has a similar shape to a pot-belly stove). The tandoor’s signature flavour comes from the smoke it generates as the juices from the food inside drip down onto the hot coals below.
It’s not easy to find a replacement for a tandoor, but we do have some options. BBQs can be tasty if cooked over a grill that allows fat and juices to drip directly onto the heat source. This method comes close to replicating the tandoor’s effect, and the resulting flavour is quite pleasant.
‘Tandoori’ food can also be cooked in a regular oven if that’s what you prefer. The similarity here is that both the oven and the tandoor have an enclosed space where heat is trapped, but the former does not produce the trademark smoky flavouring of real tandoori food. If you can’t get your hands on a tandoor, this is the next best thing for making tandoori breads like naan, roti, kulcha, etc.
Even though grilling is conceptually the opposite of tandoori cooking, it can be used to make lamb chops and chicken tikka. The food on a grill is heated by elements suspended above the cooking surface. Nevertheless, tasty food can still be achieved. The grill is good for quick cooking (ie when the barbecue is not an option) (ie when the barbecue is not an option).
Conclusion
Overall, the most suitable alternative to a tandoor is a coal-fueled barbecue when you wish to do some North Indian style cooking. Even so, tandoors are far easier to buy in the West lately, so if tandoori-style food regularly graces your menu, it may well be worth making the investment.