Tandoori chicken is delicious and everyone knows it’s a dish popular all over the world. But where did it originate? We find out.
Tandoori chicken tastes wonderful and anyone who has tried it can relate to that. It can be easily found whether you live in the UK or in any part of South Asia.
The spicy marinade which coats the chicken gives it a distinct flavour, but the yoghurt balances it out to prevent it from being overly spicy.
It also gives off a smoky flavour which is due to the chicken being traditionally cooked in a tandoor. This makes this dish unique to other Desi chicken recipes.
If we look back at the origin of tandoori chicken there is so much that we don’t know. There is a lot more to it than just the taste.
Tandoori chicken is one of the most commercially available meat dishes throughout South Asia.
While there are a number of other well-loved dishes such as keema and tikka, this is one which is very popular among South Asian people.
Tandoori chicken is not just delicious but is a sign of cultural integration, historically speaking.
How much is there to know about tandoori chicken? DESIblitz explores the rich history of tandoori chicken along with its worldwide popularity.
Origin of the Tandoor
It is said that the origins of the tandoor date back to 2,500-2,600 BCE. The earliest evidence was found in Harappa and Mohenjodaro, two key sites part of the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation. How does such an ancient method survive to this day?
The answer is very simple: the concept and creation of the tandoor.
In ancient times, the tandoor was a cylindrical clay pot made in all kinds of shapes and sizes. The remarkable quality of the pot was that it was able to keep the heat trapped inside.
The heat is generated by a charcoal or wood fire which burns within the tandoor itself. This exposes the food to radiant heat and gives the food a smoky flavour.
They can also become extremely hot as temperatures can reach 480°C.
This unique ability of tandoor is pretty much the same as that of an oven. It is even safe to say that an oven and tandoor work pretty much the same way.
To this day, tandoors are used extensively throughout India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and other parts of Asia.
The tandoor is not limited to chicken. They are also commonly used for cooking naan and Khameeri roti.
People in rural areas prefer to use a tandoor because the supply of gas is difficult to come across. It also allows multiple food items to be prepared all at once.
The Origin of Tandoori Chicken
The origin of tandoori chicken has been a topic of debate for many historians. Innovations in tandoori chicken cooking are said to be have been developed by Kundan Lal Gujral.
Many believe that tandoori chicken was first introduced by Kundan in Peshawar before partition in 1947.
Kundan was the first to dig a tandoor right in the middle of his eatery in Gora Bazaar, Peshawar.
Here the culinary art of making tandoori chicken was devised, which became very successful.
The demand for tandoori chicken at social gatherings and events grew quickly, requiring the use of an improvised tandoor.
But in 1947, partition drove Kundan away from Peshawar, forcing him to flee to Delhi in India.
Roaming the streets with no money or resources he ended up in an abandoned Thara in Daryaganj. This is where he decided to rekindle his art of tandoori chicken cuisine, and Moti Mahal, the internationally recognised restaurant was born.
While Gujral is credited with inventing the tandoori chicken dish, it is debated that the origin dates back even further to the Mughal era.
They utilised the tandoor to prepare meat, including chicken. However, as the tandoor was not the most obvious choice for cooking meat, it was difficult for them to achieve tender and juicy pieces of tandoori chicken, especially with tandoor temperatures of 480°C.
Kundan Lal Gujral’s recipe was the first to perfect this way of cooking with chicken and changed the way of cooking chicken in India.
It may be argued as to who actually invented the dish, but either way, tandoori chicken is consumed worldwide and is loved by everyone.
Recipes of Tandoori Chicken
The principle of preparing tandoori chicken has remained the same: tandoor and chicken. However, the taste can be significantly altered by changing the amount of each spice used.
Recipes can sound confusing if you’re a beginner but the recipe formula is very easy to understand. The taste in tandoori chicken depends on what you use to marinate the chicken.
The amount of lime juice, yoghurt, ginger, turmeric, chillies, black pepper etc. depend on the taste you like. For tandoori chicken, yoghurt and lime juice are the key ingredients in achieving the tender taste.
Another important factor is timing, both for preparing and cooking. Two hours is considered the minimum when leaving the chicken to marinate but it can vary depending on the recipe.
If marinating takes place for several hours, the spicy taste will permeate the chicken meat more. The same goes for all kinds of food. It’s just the spices flavour settling in the meat.
If the chicken is cooked for too long, the chicken will become dry, if it is cooked for too little then the chicken will be raw.
The other key component in tandoori chicken is the tandoor itself. However, owning a tandoor is not always easy.
Tandoors are often used for commercial purposes such as restaurants. More specifically they are used in open areas because the temperature can be very hot so it may not be the best option for indoors.
If you have an open area like a garden, getting a tandoor and operating it would be convenient.
An oven will do the same job, principally speaking, but will not bring out the same tandoori taste. To get a more authentic tandoori chicken, buy a pizza stone.
Place it on the bottom rack in a cold oven and then preheat it. Follow the same methods to prepare the chicken and then place it on the top rack.
The pizza stone concentrates the heat better, giving it a similar effect to a tandoor.