The smoldering Tandoor...

"HEY ! Whatever you cook good or bad, got to be appreciated ", my son complained , he finds vegetables inedible and heads for the Sandwich Subway with Salami .........every time I make a veggie delight
....No delight.

So I decided to give him a taste of the Rustic TANDOORI FOOD....its a sure HIT !

I remember myChildhood days ... My Grandmother had a tandoor at home. "How do you put your hand inside'! I had often asked her.... it had temperatues above 500 - degrees C. (A tandoor is a cylindrical clay oven that is commonly used in Northern India, specifically in the region of Punjab.)
It is usually placed outside the house because of how hot it gets!
My grandmother often made breads like tandoori roti /naan over a smoky fire with red hot charcoal which was put in the bottom of the clay oven. I remember trying to take out the Roti from the oven .... and often reeled back from the heat of it !! But she used to have a glove and a iron rod ...and made it look so easy! She also used to put the dal on top of the charcoals and the taste of the tandoori roti and dal was.......mmmmmmm Authentic ..........that word would be a understatement ! 
I have made the Tandoori bread in the normal oven trying to get the traditional taste and it really works.....TRY IT !!!


TANDOORI NAAN /ROTI



Ingredients:-

Maida -4 cups(can use wholewheat Atta instead)

Milk -1 cup

Baking Powder- 1 tsp

Water- as requiredBaking soda – 1/2 tsp

Oil – 2 Tbsp

Salt -1 tsp

Onion seeds- 2 tsp

Egg – 1 ( optional)

Sugar -2 tsp

Butter- 2 tsp

Yogurt – 2 Tbsp

Method:-

 Sieve flour with baking powder, baking soda , and salt.Add sugar ,eggs,milk yogurt and water. Knead well into  soft dough.

Apply oil and keep it under wet cloth for one hour.

Preheat the oven to the highest heat you have 3oo  c

Take Charcoals in a oven proof utensil  outside the house in your balcony or garden and burn till the smoking point then once smoke free and well lit  get them inside and place inside the oven .

Make eight equal portion of the dough ,apply oil and put onion seeds on top.

Shape into triangles or rounded with a rolling pin
into desired shapes( i like ablong shaped )

Wet it on one side and slap it on the oven tray

Put the oven tray right on top level and as soon as you see the golden spots , turn to other side till done.

Enjoy with Dal Makhani , ringed onions and mint chutney

Note ....in the summer I  make these on my open grill using a oven tray !!! THEN i TAKE THE TONGS AND HEAT IT ON THE HOT CHARCOALS TILL THEY ARE DONE !!