Topic: Tandoor Restoration

[George]

Haldi - many thanks for listing your findings, I assume your tandoor is gas-powered if you can turn it down, If so, do you think you may miss out on any flavour or other benefits by not using charcoal?

I tried charcoal in my oven last night and the results in terms of heat were a joke. The top cover only reached 120c whereas with gas I recorded 400c.. I concede the entire surface area of the oven would probably need to be covered with charcoal but I still doubt if it would be as hot or controllable as gas, My next test will be a hybrid, with gas used to provide heat and a small area of charcoal and/or wood used to provide 'flavour' The manufacturers of the lava rock I use say it provides improved barbecue flavour, Really? I'm not persuaded..

[Peripatetic Phil]

The manufacturers of the lava rock I use say it provides improved barbecue flavour, Really? I'm not persuaded ...

Well, there was a very successful restaurant just off Baker Street called the Asuka, where each table had its own asuka-stone on which customers could grill their own food ...  OK, gimmicks are often successful at first, but this restaurant lasted quite a while before folding ...

** Phil.

[bigboaby1]

That's great you've bought the burner George ....I absolutely love mine and becoming a bit of an addict..I use it most nights wether it's Chinese or Indian....A bit of practice and you'll be turning authentic Chinese and Indian...Wok hei in both departments....I've watched countless wok tutorials on youtube which has helped me enormously...Let me know how you get on


BB1

[Secret Santa]

The manufacturers of the lava rock I use say it provides improved barbecue flavour, Really? I'm not persuaded..

I'm guessing that the barbeque flavour would be as a result of the rocks, over time, becoming "seasoned" with the various emissions from the food being cooked, oil splatters and such like. It's difficult to imagine such inert objects providing a barbeque flavour as they stand.

[George]

SS - good points. I also wondered if the claim is based on the lava rocks providing a barrier between gas flames, and the food, so the food doesn't run a risk of getting burned, or in the case of my early tests - getting coated in soot because the flames were too yellow. I agree with you 100% there's no way the rocks can directly provide flavour.

[haldi]

Haldi - many thanks for listing your findings, I assume your tandoor is gas-powered if you can turn it down, If so, do you think you may miss out on any flavour or other benefits by not using charcoal?

I tried charcoal in my oven last night and the results in terms of heat were a joke. The top cover only reached 120c whereas with gas I recorded 400c.. I concede the entire surface area of the oven would probably need to be covered with charcoal but I still doubt if it would be as hot or controllable as gas, My next test will be a hybrid, with gas used to provide heat and a small area of charcoal and/or wood used to provide 'flavour' The manufacturers of the lava rock I use say it provides improved barbecue flavour, Really? I'm not persuaded..

Yes I have a gas tandoor
the gas ring at the bottom of the tandoor cannot be direct heat to the naans or tikka. It will burn them. (think you know that anyhow)
The heat always has to be diffused
You need a metal basket/container above the flames
In my container I use lava rocks which heat up, along with the tandoor walls.
I have never seen a takeaway use charcoal, and I have been visiting takeaways for about 12 years now.
If you enjoy what current takeaways produce, then I would suggest that you don't need charcoal
The smokey flavour of the tikka, comes from the marinade and chicken juices dripping over the heated lava rocks, and producing an aromatic smoke
And if you've got a good marinade, it's an incredible aroma, even after only five minutes of cooking.
Several of the takeaways cook a large portion of the next days tikka when the tandoor has been turned off, towards the end of the evening.
It gets ridiculously hot, and takes hours to cool down
But if they run out during the evening, and get a tikka/tandoori order, they cook with the flame still on
I reckon gas  has to be cheaper than coals

[/quote]

The takeaways round here use foil bags
I've never been able to source them, but they are obviously ideal

Maybe here, Haldi.
** Phil.

thanks Phil, might get some of those

[Ghoulie]

My favourite local 'indian' is Nepalese - Jai Kathmandu in Palatine Road, Northenden Manchester.  Their tandoor is charcoal lit and has never gone out in 25 years.  They just load it with charcoal every night before they leave.

[haldi]

My favourite local 'indian' is Nepalese - Jai Kathmandu in Palatine Road, Northenden Manchester.  Their tandoor is charcoal lit and has never gone out in 25 years.  They just load it with charcoal every night before they leave.

I would love to try food cooked in a charcoal tandoor
But there's nowhere round here

[haldi]

The takeaways round here use foil bags
I've never been able to source them, but they are obviously ideal

Maybe here, Haldi.
** Phil.

I bought  50 of those foil bags
absolutely brilliant
Fold the naan in half, with the bubble side facing out, and put them in the bag
The naans stay lovely and soft
and to my mind, improve generally in flavour too
All the butter spread on top gets absorbed into the naan
You can't see it anymore, but boy, does it taste nice!
Anyone who makes naans should try these

Thanks again Phil!

[leeroydan]

BB1 - thank you for your suggestions, which I will experiment with,  I have now fitted a new central burner to my tandoor oven as seen in the attached image. It produces a much healthier looking flame than the awful yellow, sooty flame of the original, wholly inadequate burner ring. I removed the original ring with an angle grinder and then cut out part of the bottom of the oven with tin snips. I should add that it's wholly thanks to you that I bought the new burner ring on amazon in the USA. There was no request for duty or VAT so maybe it's included in amazon's handling fee,.

Very nice, I am looking to fit a burner ring to my clay pot tandoor.