Exotic cuisines and preparations are desired worldwide. Delicacies of various kinds are prepared in very mysterious fashion which makes them taste unique. One of the similar methods of preparing idiosyncratic dishes is Tandoor. Tandoor is a type of natural oven which is usually cylindrical in shape and is heated by burning charcoal at the base. The food items are exposed to this massive heat (reaching up to 480° Celsius) which cooks the food and adds a lot of flavor through the radiant heat of charcoal or fire wood. There are several types of Tandoor which are available in market. Some of them are mentioned below:
Tandoors can be classified on numerous aspects but the main difference comes with the material used by which they are made, typically tandoors are made from either clay or metal. Other way to classify tandoor is on the basis of its origin and finally on the basis of heat source.
On the basis of Material:
Clay Tandoors: These tandoors are the traditional tandoors which are hand made by clay with hay and hair of sheep which gives the unique texture. These are used in cooking all kinds of assorted breads like Naan, tandoori roti, laccha parantha etc.
Metal Tandoors: metal tandoors are more modernized way of cooking and require less maintenance. These are generally square in shape and are factory made. These tandoors are made from stainless steel and a smaller clay pot is added inside to preserve it from wear and tears.
On the Basis of Origin:
Afghan Tandoor: It is the traditional tandoor which was originated in Afghanistan. It is made from bricks and sits above the ground. Sitting above the ground means that it is used keeping the structure on the surface of earth.
Punjabi Tandoor: This tandoor is the conventional and it is typically made from clay and resemble to the previously mentioned clay tandoor. These tandoors can be kept in and out of the ground. Keeping a tandoor in the ground means keeping the clay structure inside the ground and then using it. Punjab’s people believed that it enhanced the flavor of the food.
Armenian Tonir: It is also similar to the clay pot tandoor and is used by setting it in the ground. Armenian culture worshipped “setting sun” because of which they used tandoors in the ground.
On the basis of Heat Source:
Traditional Tandoors: Traditional tandoors for sale are the ones that provide the heat using charcoal or fire wood, which provides the unique flavor and adds the “Smokiness” in the food preparations.
Gas Tandoors: Many restaurants use gas tandoors which usually resemble the square shaped metal tandoors mentioned above. Getting charcoal on a regular basis is very difficult for restaurants, so instead of the traditional heat source, LPG is preferred.
Tandoor is the heritage of central and west Asia which is famous worldwide and the preparations made from this mystical equipment are priceless as they stimulate our taste buds and leave the enduring taste to make us crave for more.
Gas Tandoors and Clay Ovens 