What is a Tandoor how it works?

Tandoor is an oven made of clay used in India, Pakistan, Iran, and Afghanistan

What is Tandoor?

Tandoor is a cylindrical (resembling an oil drum) oven made of mud and shredded coir rope. The walls are cured (Hardened) with a paste of spinach, mustard oil, yogurt, and jaggery and firing it with small fire. The process is repeated till the Tandoor can stand a lot of heat and finally the hardening paste peels off. Curing the surface is required to prevent Tandoor from developing cracks.

As the last step, a solution of salt and jaggery is sprayed on the walls.

Tandoor is approximately, five feet tall. At the bottom, it has an opening about 6"x6" to remove spent ashes or introduce fuel.

Tandoor also has a lid made of clay. The lid is used to partially cover the oven during cooking as needed. At the end, the Tandoor is fully covered to choke off the oxygen, and fire safety.

How Tandoor works?

On the bottom, there is an opening to remove ashes or add fuel. To fire Tandoor, oopla (dried cow dung patties), sticks of dried kindling and charcoal are used. The burning wood gives off heat that is absorbed by the walls of the Tandoor. Faster the wood burns, faster the heat is absorbed. Eventually the carbon from the initial smoke starts to burn off 650º F and the surface becomes 'white hot'. The temperatures would rise up to 900º F. After the surface is white hot, the wood burning is stopped. The heat absorbed by the Clay walls now slowly radiates out enveloping the food to be cooked. Technically, this is called 'black body radiation'. The temperature starts to come down. Tandoori chicken may be cooked at 550º F. For making Naan, you need the temperature to be in between 450º F to 490º F. When the temperature drops down further, you may roast Eggplant to make Bhartha, or a sweet potato to make Shakarkandi.

In the olden days, the temperature readiness was determined by throwing a pinch of Atta (Flour) in to Tandoor and see how long it took to burn the Atta.

The combination of radiation and convection heat has an effect of simultaneous baking, roasting and grilling.