The tandoor is a clay oven used in India, which bakes meat (usually chicken) or bread at high temperatures. The clay (or dirt) ovens used in these islands - such as the oven in Castara Tobago - would be heated up by burning wood inside the clay shell. When the wood had burned away and the interior was extremely hot, bread or meats would be placed inside and the oven sealed for a couple hours.
The fragrance of the woods used to heat up the oven mingles with the food flavours. The high heat of the interior clay contributes to a crust that browns the outside while sealing and cooking the meat or bread.
Modern ovens might be able to replicate the heat, but are seldom fragrant. They provide steadier cooking temperatures, rather than heat that starts off very high (maybe 600 or 700 F or 350+C) and then decreases as the food cooks.
Tandoori Chicken cooks quickly (30 - 45 minutes) at 450F to 500F (230C to 260C). At these high temperatures, why not roast your vegetables - sweet peppers, pumpkin squash, ochroes, tomatoes - at the same time. If you prepare everything beforehand, this meal can be brought to table with less than an hour's cooking time.
Even the bread may be baked in the same hot oven, though it will require an hour's baking.
Our menu for four featured
Tandoori Chicken
Vinegar Potato Wedges
Roasted sweet pepper and pumpkin squash
Fresh baked bread
TANDOORI CHICKEN
Chicken, large whole, jointed and skin removed (optional)
(or six legs and thighs; or two large chicken breasts)
Yogurt, 1 -2 cups
Spice Rub:
Powdered paprika, 3 tablespoons
Ground cumin, 2 tablespoons
Ground coriander, 2 tablespoons
Salt, 1-2 tablespoons (or to taste)
Black pepper, fresh ground, 1 tablespoon
Sugar, 2 tablespoons
Ginger, thumb-sized piece, finely chopped
Powdered cinnamon, 1 teaspoon
Powdered cayenne, 1 teaspoon
Tandoori Chicken is spicy on the crust, sealing moist flavour in the meat. This is a delicious way to cook breast meat. The preparation of the chicken is most important. The day before, skin the chicken and cut slashes into the legs and thighs. (Save the skin to render on the stove top: you can make crisp chicken skin and cook vegetables and noodles in the flavourful oil.)
If you are using a whole chicken, keep the three parts of each wing together; separate the legs and thighs, cut across the the back into two (keep neck on the upper part); cut the breast into six pieces (in half along the middle, then two cuts across); and slice through the thickest parts of the meat to insert the spice rub.
Mix all ingredients for the spice rub together, and rub into the meat. Mix in 1- 2 cups yogurt. Refrigerate overnight. If you put the seasoned chicken with yogurt into a large ziploc bag, you can turn the bag over to make sure the chicken is well-coated. Allow to marinate overnight.
Heat oven to 450F (230C). Put meat on a grill over a drip pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until browned and fragrant. Over-cooking will dry out the meat.
ROASTED VEGETABLES
Pumpkin squash, 4 or 5 slices
Sweet peppers, 4 large ones, halved and seeds removed
Onion, large, peeled and sliced
Olive oil, enough to drizzle over all vegetables
Coarse salt, to taste
Black pepper, fresh ground
Arrange pumpkin squash, onion and sweet pepper in a tray. Salt and pepper liberally. Drizzle liberally with olive oil. Roast in the oven with the chicken for 25- 30 minutes: the vegetables may be cooked on a lower rack in the same oven.
VINEGAR POTATO WEDGES
This is a delicious and easy side dish to roasted meat.
Potatoes, one medium (or two small) potato per person
Vinegar, one cup (I use celery vinegar, but apple cider or plain white vinegar may be used)
Salt, teaspoon or to taste
Cooking oil (coconut oil preferred), 1 -2 cups
Scrub potatoes. Cut into four or six wedges (depending on the size of the potatoes). Cover with water, one cup vinegar and salt to taste. Bring to the boil and continue to cook for ten to 15 minutes. Potatoes should still be firm. Cool and drain.
Heat oil in deep pot, keep at medium heat. Add potato wedges (or half at a time) and turn with a slotted spoon. Cook at medium heat until the potatoes are golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper. Sprinkle with salt to taste.
Serve these potato wedges as a snack with tomato ketchup. Or with roasted meat and vegetables.
The fragrance of the woods used to heat up the oven mingles with the food flavours. The high heat of the interior clay contributes to a crust that browns the outside while sealing and cooking the meat or bread.
Modern ovens might be able to replicate the heat, but are seldom fragrant. They provide steadier cooking temperatures, rather than heat that starts off very high (maybe 600 or 700 F or 350+C) and then decreases as the food cooks.
Tandoori Chicken cooks quickly (30 - 45 minutes) at 450F to 500F (230C to 260C). At these high temperatures, why not roast your vegetables - sweet peppers, pumpkin squash, ochroes, tomatoes - at the same time. If you prepare everything beforehand, this meal can be brought to table with less than an hour's cooking time.
Even the bread may be baked in the same hot oven, though it will require an hour's baking.
 |
| Tandoori flavoured chicken, roasted vegetables and fresh bread |
Tandoori Chicken
Vinegar Potato Wedges
Roasted sweet pepper and pumpkin squash
Fresh baked bread
TANDOORI CHICKEN
Chicken, large whole, jointed and skin removed (optional)
(or six legs and thighs; or two large chicken breasts)
Yogurt, 1 -2 cups
Spice Rub:
Powdered paprika, 3 tablespoons
Ground cumin, 2 tablespoons
Ground coriander, 2 tablespoons
Salt, 1-2 tablespoons (or to taste)
Black pepper, fresh ground, 1 tablespoon
Sugar, 2 tablespoons
Ginger, thumb-sized piece, finely chopped
Powdered cinnamon, 1 teaspoon
Powdered cayenne, 1 teaspoon
Tandoori Chicken is spicy on the crust, sealing moist flavour in the meat. This is a delicious way to cook breast meat. The preparation of the chicken is most important. The day before, skin the chicken and cut slashes into the legs and thighs. (Save the skin to render on the stove top: you can make crisp chicken skin and cook vegetables and noodles in the flavourful oil.)
If you are using a whole chicken, keep the three parts of each wing together; separate the legs and thighs, cut across the the back into two (keep neck on the upper part); cut the breast into six pieces (in half along the middle, then two cuts across); and slice through the thickest parts of the meat to insert the spice rub.
 |
| Seasoned chicken arranged on a grill over a drip pan |
Mix all ingredients for the spice rub together, and rub into the meat. Mix in 1- 2 cups yogurt. Refrigerate overnight. If you put the seasoned chicken with yogurt into a large ziploc bag, you can turn the bag over to make sure the chicken is well-coated. Allow to marinate overnight.
Heat oven to 450F (230C). Put meat on a grill over a drip pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until browned and fragrant. Over-cooking will dry out the meat.
 |
| Tandoori flavours feature an intricate blend of spices sealed in with yogurt, cooked at high heat |
ROASTED VEGETABLES
Pumpkin squash, 4 or 5 slices
Sweet peppers, 4 large ones, halved and seeds removed
Onion, large, peeled and sliced
Olive oil, enough to drizzle over all vegetables
Coarse salt, to taste
Black pepper, fresh ground
Arrange pumpkin squash, onion and sweet pepper in a tray. Salt and pepper liberally. Drizzle liberally with olive oil. Roast in the oven with the chicken for 25- 30 minutes: the vegetables may be cooked on a lower rack in the same oven.
 |
| Sweet peppers, pumpkin squash, ochroes, even tomatoes, melongene may be roasted alongside the meat. |
VINEGAR POTATO WEDGES
This is a delicious and easy side dish to roasted meat.
Potatoes, one medium (or two small) potato per person
Vinegar, one cup (I use celery vinegar, but apple cider or plain white vinegar may be used)
Salt, teaspoon or to taste
Cooking oil (coconut oil preferred), 1 -2 cups
Scrub potatoes. Cut into four or six wedges (depending on the size of the potatoes). Cover with water, one cup vinegar and salt to taste. Bring to the boil and continue to cook for ten to 15 minutes. Potatoes should still be firm. Cool and drain.
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| Potatoes are partially cooked - still firm - by boiling in a water-vinegar mixture. |
Serve these potato wedges as a snack with tomato ketchup. Or with roasted meat and vegetables.
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| Vinegar gives these potatoes their deep rich flavour. |
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot for this recipe. It turned out great.delicious dear...You have made this perfectly..Will surely give it a try..
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