try using a blow torch to get the charcoal going instead of using fire lighters?
I've seen most get the charcoal going in a tube type thing with a handle then drop it into the tandoor ( just make sure the door/flap is closed

one of these

I remember being at school with a lad who's dad owned the Indian in town, I had asked him several times how they made stuff but he said he was only making the dip's, so this is the mint sauce that they made From about 25 years ago

1 cup natural yogurt
1 tsp. mint sauce
1 tbsp. mango chutney
2 tsp. lime pickle
1-2 tsp. sugar to taste
blend until smooth, may be thinned with a bit of milk.

Fairly simple, you may have to adjust chutney and pickle to taste, should be sweet with a spicy sour after taste. Haven't made this for ages and I don't remember using food colouring.

i have tried other mint sauces but i think its the lime pickle that gives that extra something

hello......ive been here a while now but not posted as i was just reading through the posts and trying a few things....ive been using the curry secret book for probably the last 20 years and looked for something diferent...there are a few recipes i havent found yet but still hoping

any way.. ive posted a recipe for mint sauce in the accomapaniments section..that i got from a friend, his family owned the local indian resturant

Stuart

Hello peeps, ive been lurking around here for a while and not posted yet and been reading lots of good stuff....

just thought i might give you a recipe for mint sauce that i got from a friend....
when i was at collage 20 odd years ago a guy i knew, his family owned the local indian resturant and i asked him for some recipes, unfortuanatly at the time he was only allowed to make the chutneys and stuff like that but here is the recipe for the mint sauce they made...not much different from all the others floating about but i like it and it was the best in the area at the time.

i wasnt given any measurments  as he made a gallon at a time and was just done by eye/guess.....but this is what i played with and got good results

adjust for your own taste

1 cup of yoghurt
1-2 tsp mango chutney
1/2 -1 tsp lime pickle
1 tsp sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp mint sauce
squirt of lemon juice
and a drop of water to thin it out slightly

then blend it  until smooth

hope you enjoy it


just an extra note...when i ask him about the base sauce it turned out to be just like the Kris Dhillon base...which is the one ive been using for the last 20 years

Stuart