Recognize this red
Tandoori Chicken? Yes, that's the one you get at most Indian
restaurants. It is one of the most widely ordered and vastly popular
dishes in Indian restaurants today !
Most marinades used in
Indian barbecue are yogurt or lime based. Many of the recipes require
overnight marination for the right amount of tenderization and flavor to
come through. Some of the cooking can be done ahead of time. And then,
all that is needed is a few minutes of grilling on the grill. It is one
of the best ways to turn your simple backyard entertaining into an
exotic affair.
Tandoori cooking does
not use much oil or ghee and therefore can be used when pursuing a low
calorie diet.
The traditional Indian clay oven is called the "Tandoor" A
tandoor is a clay oven, with rounded sides, standing about 5 feet high,
with charcoal in the bottom as the heat source. It is obviously not a
practical cooking medium to install in your home. Many have now tried to
build and install the "Tandoor" in their back yard.
The tandoor oven
relies on the natural cooking medium - "charcoal" The intense
heat inside, created by the hot coals cook the meat, seafood or chicken
pieces very quickly. The food becomes crispy on the outside while
remaining juicy inside.
The food is first marinated either in dry spices
or a spice and yogurt mixture and is then threaded onto very long metal
skewers and lowered into the oven. Naan, and Indian flat bread is also
cooked in a tandoor oven by pressing the dough onto the inside walls.
It is impossible to
create the exact flavor and texture of tandoori foods without a tandoor
oven, however, you can use a gas or a coal barbecue grill to make the
following recipes. Use a hooded charcoal grill with a few drops of
liquid smoke to get a wonderful flavor to your meats.
Top
Turn
your oven into a tandoor
To
mimic tandoor baking in a regular electric or gas oven, you'll need a
baking stone or some unglazed quarry tiles
placed on an oven rack. The larger the baking surface, the better. The
stone or tiles should cover the rack with a one-inch gap around the edge
to let hot air circulate.
Clay pots are nowadays
being used for at home Tandoori cooking. They are found in a variety of
sizes in many markets in Mexico. When cooking with clay, the pot must be
soaked in cold water for at least 15 minutes. If it hasn't been used
before, it should be soaked for at least 30 minutes. During the soaking,
the terra cotta absorbs moisture which is released when the pot is in
the oven, thus creating a moist cooking atmosphere.
The clay pot must be
placed in a cold oven and heated gradually. Set the temperature once the
pot is inside. Never place in a preheated oven.
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-
Meats
Rice
'n Naan
Vegetables
Bhutta
- Indian roasted corn
Salads
'n Chutneys
Fruits
'n Desserts
Grilling
Tips
The
grilling season is here, if you haven't already stocked up on your
grilling supplies and have not made your BBQ plans......it's not too
late! Get ready for a big grilling weekend ! Have a great Holiday
Cook out.
Plan ahead.
Decide on menus and make shopping lists now. Buy all the
non-perishable items on the menu as soon as possible like your
dinnerware, cups, silverware. Top
Picking
out that special wine : Think
about the special wine or wine coolers or punches you want to make. White
wines chilled are great light accompaniments to a BBQ on a hot summer's
day. Wine coolers add that zing with their carbonation. Go
here for recipes on Cocktails and a great Punch recipe.
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Marination Tips :
Marinate your meats a day ahead. Top
Separate
Marinades and Brushes :
Use a separate brush as well as a separate marinade
to brush cooked meat or vegetables. Never brush the cooked meat,
poultry, or fish with a marinade that has had raw meat, poultry, or fish
in it. Top
Platters for grilled stuff
: Place cooked foods on a different platter than the raw / uncooked
meat, poultry, or fish on it. Top
BBQ
Grill Quick clean up tip:
Spray the cooking grill with non-stick spray before placing the grid
over the coals. Food won't stick nearly as much as it does on an
untreated grill. Top
Cook-Out
Safety Tips
Carrying Meats for a Picnic :
Pack meats, poultry and fish in a separate cooler. Make sure you take
extra ice with you. Top
Cooking Utensils :
Keep all grilling utensils in a separate cloth bag. Take an extra plastic
bag to place them in there after cooking. Top
Grill Safety :
Use a spray mister to douse small flare-ups on the outdoor grill or to
cool a fire that's too hot.
Make sure the fire is completely out before leaving the area. Douse it
with water. Top
Grilling like any
other kind of cooking is an art....and a science. The difference between
grilling and cooking on the stove or in the oven is that grilling is a
combination of both. You have direct heat from the gas burners of the
charcoal and you have indirect heat that fills the grill when the lid is
down. With a grill you turn on or light the fire and the heat just keeps
rising. An average gas grill can reach temperatures of 500 degrees in a
matter of minutes. This is why you can't throw the food on the grill and
take off, you must remain ever vigilant. Vigilance is the key.
This high heat,
both direct and indirect is the foundation of grilling. You want to use
this heat to cook food, quickly. But, because foods cook fast on a grill
you have to turn then to cook them evenly and without burning. However, if
you turn things too often you will slow the process of cooking and this
can lead to food that is tough and dry. The secret is turning only when
necessary.
Some Rules
-
Always keep your grill clean.
-
Use oil or cooking spray on your
cooking grate on a cold grill. Do not apply cooking spray to a lit
grill.
-
Be vigilant, always keep an eye on
what your grilling.
-
Do not use spray bottles of water to
control flare-ups. Flare-ups are caused by too much fat and too much
heat. Trim excess fat and when you turn meat on the grill move it to a
different part of the grill.
-
Keep your grill away from anything
flammable like lighter fluid, fences, your house, etc..
-
Marinate your food at least an hour
before you grill. This lets the flavor sink in.
