Okay, so I got this idea stuck in my head about really digging into Tandoor cooking. You know, the kind you get at Indian restaurants, that smoky, delicious stuff. I wasn’t just thinking about ordering takeout, though. I wanted to actually try making a bunch of different things myself, like putting together a whole menu experience.
Getting Started
First thing, I had to figure out what makes tandoor food, well, tandoor food. Turns out, it’s all about that super hot clay oven, the tandoor itself. Obviously, I don’t have one of those sitting in my backyard. So, the first hurdle was figuring out how to fake it. I did some reading, watched a few videos. Seems like a really hot oven or even a good grill can get you kinda close, especially for things like chicken or kebabs.
Then I started thinking about the actual dishes. What goes on a good tandoor menu?
- Tandoori Chicken: This felt like a must-have. That bright red chicken is iconic.
- Seekh Kebabs: Minced meat on skewers, spiced up. Sounded amazing.
- Paneer Tikka: Needed a veggie option, and marinated cheese cubes sounded perfect.
- Naan Bread: Can’t have tandoori without naan, right? Gotta slap it on the side of that imaginary oven.
That felt like a solid starting lineup. Not too crazy, but covered the basics.
The Process: Shopping and Marinating
Next up was shopping. Man, the spice list! Ginger, garlic paste (I just bought jars, easier), garam masala, turmeric, cayenne, cumin, coriander… the works. Plus yogurt for the marinades, which is super important for tandoori stuff. Got some chicken thighs, lamb mince for the kebabs, a block of paneer, and all the bits for naan – flour, yeast, yogurt again.
Got home and started the prep. This part takes time. You can’t rush the marinades. I mixed up the yogurt and spices for the chicken and paneer. Made sure everything was coated really well. For the seekh kebabs, I mixed the minced lamb with onions, ginger, garlic, green chilies, and a bunch of spices. Got my hands right in there to combine it all properly. Then, everything went into the fridge to soak up those flavors. I left them overnight, figured longer is better.
Cooking Day: Making it Happen (Sort Of)
Alright, cooking time. Fired up my oven as high as it would go. Also got the grill outside prepped just in case the oven wasn’t cutting it.
First, the chicken and paneer tikka. I threaded them onto metal skewers. Put the chicken in the super hot oven. Did the paneer on the grill to get some nice char marks quickly. Kept basting them with a bit of oil and the leftover marinade.
While those were cooking, I tackled the naan. Made the dough earlier, let it rise. Punched it down, divided it up. Now, the tricky part – cooking it without a tandoor. I tried a hot cast iron skillet on the stove. Stretched out the dough, slapped it on the dry, hot pan. Cooked one side till bubbly, then flipped it directly onto the gas flame for a second using tongs to get those charred spots. It kinda worked! Not perfect restaurant naan, but definitely bubbly and soft.
Then the seekh kebabs. I formed the mince mixture around the skewers. Carefully put these on the grill too, rotating them so they cooked evenly. They smelled incredible cooking.
The Results: How Did It Go?
Okay, moment of truth. Pulled everything together. The chicken was juicy, definitely had that tandoori flavor profile, even without the real oven smoke. The paneer tikka was great, nicely charred outside, soft inside. Seekh kebabs? Delicious. Properly spiced, cooked through. And the naan, while maybe not 100% authentic shape or texture, was soft, chewy, and perfect for scooping everything up.
It was quite the effort, took a good chunk of the day with the marinating beforehand. But honestly, sitting down to eat all that food I made? Totally worth it. It wasn’t exactly like the restaurant, that real tandoor does add something special. But it was pretty darn close, and way more satisfying because I did it myself. Learned a lot about marinades and high-heat cooking. Definitely gonna try some variations next time.
