You don't have to host a backyard barbecue to enjoy the delightful and fragrant flavours of tandoori cuisine. You'll be surprised to know that turning your kitchen into a paradise for tandoori dishes is achievable and surprisingly easy. Learn about the wonderful techniques that can enhance your cooking experience, such as using infused smoked salts and incorporating charcoal and earthen pots. These secrets will take your culinary creations to new heights, allowing you to savour the flavours of tandoori cooking even without a traditional grill.
Smoked Salt
To give your dishes a delightful smoky flavour, just like the ones you'd find in traditional tandoori cooking, it all begins with selecting the right type of salt. You could consider using smoked salt varieties, as they add a delicate smoky flavour to your ingredients. When you marinate meats or season vegetables with smoked salt, it brings a delightful complexity that takes your taste buds on a journey to the lively streets of India.
Smoked Spices
Turn your spice game by adding a smoky twist to your tandoori dishes. When you smoke essentials such as cumin, paprika, and coriander, they release a wonderful depth of flavour that enhances the overall taste of your dishes. When you toast these spices before using them, it brings out their wonderful aromas and adds an authentic touch of tandoori cuisine to your creations.
Charcoal
For a smoky flavour, try the age-old method of dhungar, in which a piece of charcoal is burned until red-hot and then inserted within the dish. In order to achieve a taste similar to that cooked in a real clay oven, this method is frequently utilised in tandoori dishes. Put some hot charcoal on a small metal plate, cover it with oil, and let the smokey flavour permeate your food.
Cooking in an Earthen Pot
Using clay or earthenware pots will give your kitchen the same feel as a tandoor. These containers are able to equally absorb and release heat, just like a tandoor. Cooking in an earthen pot gives food a distinctive earthy flavour and infuses it with the authentic spirit of tandoori cooking, whether you're making naan bread or marinated meats.
Smoked Oil
Using smoked oils is a great way to amp up the flavour of your tandoori creations. Mustard and sesame oils can be infused with smokiness through cold smoking or the addition of smoked substances during the infusion process. If you want your tandoori treats to taste even more smoky, you can add a final touch by drizzling them with smoked oil.