Tandoors are traditional clay ovens that have been used for many centuries, especially in South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia for the preparation of dishes such as naan, kebabs, and tandoori chicken. Nonetheless, the reach of a tandoor goes way beyond these staple dishes. If you think that tandoors are meant exclusively for the Indian cuisine, you are mistaken! These earthen ovens have a range of culinary applications that can spice up the taste and texture of a whole range of foods.
1. Baking Artisan Breads
Of course, naan is the most popular bread baked in a tandoor, but there are countless other varieties of bread which may also be made using this ancient cooking technique. Artisan bread such as sourdough, flatbreads and pita, all acquire an attractive smoky taste when prepared in a tandoor. The intense temperatures ensure a crunchy outer surface but a soft and elastic inner structure. Tandoor ovens are much quicker in cooking bread compared to normal ovens which is great for those keen on mastering the art of bread production.
2. Grilling Vegetables
Taking the example of vegetables such as capsicum, zucchini, cauliflower, and eggplant, these can also be grilled in the tandoor oven. Due to the high temperatures, the outer layer gets burnt and the water content remains inside as well as bringing out the sweetness of the vegetables. Marinating the vegetables for a little bit before cooking can add more flavor to them making as a very good accompaniment and in some cases a main course for vegetarians.
3. Smoking Meats
The unique design of a tandoor makes it self-sufficient with regard to a smoker, hence, processing meat with smoke. Tandoori chicken is the most traditional, but even other cuts such as brisket, pork ribs, and lamb shoulders get smoked to the desired tenderness in the tandoor. The heat produced along with the closed system creates a smoky taste which is almost impossible to get with conventional grills or smokers.
4. Roasting Whole Poultry
Visualize mouth-watering chicken turkey or duck which is perfectly roasted to golden brown with crisp skin and succulent meat – this is what a tandoor can deliver. When, rather than bringing the meat to the oven, one places the meat into the tandoor, instead of dry air circulation that can render the meat tough, the sealed crock allows cooking to take place yet keeps the moisture contained in the meat. Spice or herb the bird and place on a stick; allow cooking in the tandoor!
5. Making Pizzas
It may sound incredible and yet you can actually prepare mouth-watering pizzas in a tandoor. The extreme temperature is quite similar to that of a clay oven which helps achieve a crunching burnt crust and soft insides. Just roll out pizza dough, put toppings of choice and stick the pizza inside the tandoor. In few minutes, you will have a pizza that would beat any pizza out of a pizzeria.
6. Cooking Desserts
Savory isn’t all there is to the tandoor. Desserts as well can be prepared in a tandoor. Indian delicacies such as kulcha (sweet stuffed flatbread) can as well be made using a tandoor. Other desserts such as baked apples or grilled pineapple or even caramelized bananas can also be made for that twist on old plain desserts. Cooking, especially entertainment cooking, is a difficult art where the fruits are not simply cooked. It is all about the maturation of the cooking fruits, that is out of the world.
7. Roasting Nuts
Tandoors can effortlessly bake roasted nuts such as almonds, cashews and walnuts. The intense heat makes it possible to roast the nuts quickly and uniformly enhancing their flavor. This particular technique comes in handy when one is roasting nuts in large quantities making the entire process much faster.
8. Cooking Seafood
Tandoors make it easy to prepare seafood dishes such as fish, shrimps and lobsters. The intense temperatures available quickly crisp the exterior of the meat sealing in the moisture and creating a crunchy rich external layer. Thanks to the tandoor, shrimp or any type of seafood will have an interesting taste smoky that goes well with the seasoning or just salt and lemon.
9. Slow-Cooking Stews
Tandoor is widely recognized for its extreme temperature, but it can still accommodate slow cookers for stews and curries. A pot can be nestled into the tandoor, resulting in a contained, tandoor-like environment where the stew is allowed to cook very gently, letting all the tastes intermingle quite beautifully. Such dishes cooked in a tandoor turn out especially well, for instance, nihari and lamb braises.
10. Baking Potatoes
Rather than applying the conventional oven or the grill, one can opt to bake the potatoes in a tandoor. The pottery oven’s very high degree of temperature helps them in cooking perfectly with a hard skin on the exterior and a light and airy core on the inside. Furthermore, they can be wrapped in aluminum foil during cooking or be placed on the clay surface without any covering for a more traditional preparation. Serve with a Betel leaf and a pinch of salt and butter – it makes an excellent accompaniments.
Why Use a Tandoor for These Unique Dishes?
One of the captivating aspects of cooking in a tandoor is how it is possible to impart a lot of taste, but more importantly, a certain texture to food. The high cooking temperatures aided by the clay oven smokiness enable the food to be cooked in less time and to be healthier as well since there is less oil used in the tandoor baking. Such as preparing dough, baking meat and poultry, and even inventing new types of desserts, the boundaries of the tandoor are limitless.
Conclusion
Although it is primarily recognized with Indian kitchens, the tandoor is a culinary tool that has more uses than can be counted. From baking beautifully crafted bread to preparing traditional thick stews over time, this old-fashioned clay-pot stove is wider in scope than one can perceive. If you’re a restaurant owner wishing to diversify your cuisine, or a home cook with an itching urge to try rediscovered methods of cooking, these ten uses of a tandoor that go beyond the default naan and kebabs will have you searching for new possibilities.
In implementing these creative functions, not only will you improve the taste of your dishes, but your guests will also be fascinated by the innovative use of this cooking appliance.