The burner is welded on underneath. Cheers I'll get the sandpaper on it and see what it comes up like.

Looks pretty nifty. Would certainly save a few grains ending up going down the plug hole!

The missus and I went on a bit of a road trip to deepest Kent yesterday to pick up my new toy. A portable propane tandoor which I got off eBay for ?60. Not a bad buy I thought but I think it needs a little work doing to it before use.

The main problem is it is a little rusty, notably on the inside where it is fine and powdery - not good for sticking naans to!

I'm thinking (unless there is something more suitable?) of buying some fire clay as used in homemade pizza ovens and lining the inside with it - to maybe 1/2" - 1" thickness. Hopefully this will also increase its heat retention properties and thus save on gas. Not sure whether I need to prime the surface in any way to form a 'key' for the clay to stick to?

I'm just wondering, do I need to put clay balls in the bottom of it or even charcoal for that fabled smokey flavour?

I know there's one or two people on here who have refurbished tandoors. Any hints and tips would be gratefully received. 

MM

Quote from: Phil [Chaa006] on August 21, 2016, 10:57 AM

Quote from: MushroomMike on August 20, 2016, 11:16 PM
Gentles. It's been a few years since they were called that!

So what are they called now, Mike ?  I never knew why they were called "gentles" in the first place [1], but that was the expression I knew in my teens and therefore the expression I still use today (in my near-70's) !

** Phil.
--------
[1] But now I do    The OED says :

Quote3. A maggot, the larva of the flesh-fly or bluebottle, employed as bait by anglers. (Cf. A. 5.)

and gives the first attested usage as being 1578 :

Quote1578   H. Lyte tr. R. Dodoens Niewe Herball vi. lxviii. 746   A white worme lyke a gentill.

A.5 says (of gentle, vb.)

Quote?? 5. Not harsh or irritating to the touch; soft, tender; yielding to pressure, pliant, supple. Obs.

Well I've been an angler for 25 years and had never heard them called gentles until about a couple of years ago when watching a fishing programme - Geoffrey Palmer I think it was... I think it's the old fashioned name. If you walked into a tackle shop nowadays and asked for a pint of gentles you may be looked at a bit funny. They are usually just called maggots with various varieties such as squatts, gozzers and pinkies! 

Gentles. It's been a few years since they were called that!

I've just bought a little yellow jar of the heavily adulterated Vandevi asafoetida for a batata vada recipe then realised the pure resin is available on eBay - damn! 

The side of the jar states that it is for export only and not for sale in India. Is this because of some purity laws? If so, it just goes to show what Indians think of it...

Has anybody ever used the pure stuff?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/172178884703

Quote from: chewytikka on August 10, 2016, 10:13 AM
Nope, that one is for housewives curry making,

Non BIR, Simon Rimmer shows you how

https://youtu.be/0LHgCi5Ctbo

I

Hi Guys

Chewy I was wondering if you had used this Pataks Madras Spice Paste? I know for your tikka recipe you like the Madras Kebab Paste which is only available in mahoosive catering size jars. I wondered if the flavour had any resemblance to the kebab paste or was a good enough substitute?

Cheers

MM

Well you can definitely start by making your own mix powder and garam masala minus the chilli!

Yeah most people do the baghaar at the end but as I say I wanted the flavours to be a lot more mellowed. No not tried roasting the tomatoes for the base but I do make sure they are well cooked at the baghaar stage and add the sugar to help along the caramelisation before adding the onions and water etc.