Chapters 9 to 10
Chapters 9 to 10 - Tandoori Cooking
Anthony experienced the highest amount of satisfaction whilst writing these two chapters. That does not mean the other twelve chapters provided little fulfilment but this subject allowed him to acquaint himself with his inner caveman while cooking with charcoal. In addition, he was able to use some very noisy power tools and gadgets (which made him feel very important) during the manufacture of his Tandoor.
The Tandoor pictured above is the result of two years' work. During that two years many prototypes were created and he is now the proud owner of a 'tandoor graveyard' populated by the previous unsuccessful ovens. The Tandoor pictured above is the final working model and has cooked 'the tastiest tandoori chicken ever tasted' as testified by those for whom he has prepared Tandoori Chicken.
In these chapters, you will learn how to build a Tandoor similar to that pictured above, using items readily available from large DIY stores and online retailers. He has dispensed with the hard to find items such as fireclay, firebricks, vermiculite and many others and built an oven with easy to find components. The absence of these items does not mean diminished flavour or authenticity. On the contrary, the meats and breads which emerge from this ferociously hot beast are very, very authentic. If you have competent DIY skills, feel free to follow his instructions. If not, you can still follow the Tandoori Recipes and cook them using conventional cooking methods.
The theory of Tandoori cooking is fully explained and you will be guided through the meat preparation, marinating, skewering and final cooking. In Chapter 11 there is also a great recipe for naan bread, which you will cook by slapping it on the inside of a Tandoor - just like the restaurant chefs.
