The history of this unique furnace is irretrievably lost, and the secrets of the tandoor kept Eastern masters of pottery, which pass them from generation to generation.
A little ask around friends, turning mountains of useful literature and leafing through hundreds of web pages, I learned that the tandoor is:
- ground;
- pit (earthen);
- portable (modern version).
How to make tandoor
To make a tandoor, ancient masters, however, as the keepers of traditions today, used a special kaolin clay, which was called “living”. To it was added a bit of sheep’s wool or camels, making a viscous mass, which is left to Mature for a week. All seven days clay and wool had to be thoroughly mixed.
After a week began to sculpt tandoor, and each master did it in his own way. I’ll tell you about the method using an oak barrel.
So, while the clay matured, the master took a wooden barrel a little larger than planned tandoor, and slightly weakened metal hoops.
After that, water was poured into the barrel, and the tree swelled for five days. Then the water was poured, the barrel was turned over and dried for 24 hours. After a good coat inside ordinary sunflower oil and left for another 12 hours for impregnation.
Then, from the” living ” clay, already ripened by that time, sausages were made about 0.5 m long, about 6 cm in diameter, which were rolled into a tape about 2 cm wide. Each tape was cut into small pieces, and, imposing them on each other and tightly tamping, completely covered the inner walls of the barrel. At the top they were placed several times in a large layer to narrow the neck to 0.5 m. When all the internal space of the barrel, except the bottom, was plastered with strips of” living ” clay, they necessarily smoothed, eliminating the slightest irregularities and as if splicing together.
As soon as the oven-jug was ready, it was left in the sun for a month-to dry.
In the process of drying the clay gradually exfoliated from the wood. As soon as it was completely dry, hoops were removed from the wooden barrel, disassembled, releasing the finished tandoor.
Tandoor oven
A well-dried oven, shaped like a huge jug, was installed on a pre-cast foundation. Around it from the outside was covered with clay and brick.
Formed between the jar and the brick interstices filled up with sand, tamping it carefully. At the bottom of the grid was installed, and under it made a blower — to provide air supply to the working chamber. In order to improve traction, a tin pipe was installed over the neck. This completed the construction of the ground tandoor.
During the first furnace, the inner surface of the tandoor was coated with cotton oil and burned for a day: the only way the clay will not stick to baking.
Today there are easier ways to build a tandoor, which I will tell you a little later, but this old method is not losing popularity. Almost the same can be done and underground tandoor – the most ancient and simple.
Earth tandoor
Make of clay, pre-mixed with chamotte or gravel. Earth tandoor can be built in two ways.
Method 1. Dig a hole with a diameter and a depth of about 50 cm from the Inside of her spread clay bricks, the spaces between them filled with clay. At the bottom, to improve combustion, additionally make 2 holes.
Method 2. Ready tandoor immersed in a pre-dug hole, leaving above ground level neck (literally 5 cm). At the bottom of the stove make a special ash pit, and on top of the tandoor covered with special covers made of the same clay.
Of course, to get a real clay tandoor I would not refuse, only to make it yourself — not an easy task. So I began to look at its modern analogues.
Portable tandoor
Modern portable tandyrs are made of high quality fireclay mass with high heat transfer and heat capacity. In form they look like a vase with an unusual lid.
At the neck is a special device that allows you to place the skewers vertically.
On the sides, as a rule, there are metal forged handles for carrying. These ovens are sold in special covers that protect the furnace from contact with dust, dirt and so on.
The undeniable advantage of the modern tandoor ease of use. For a start inside lay firewood or charcoal, which, having inflamed, heat the oven to the maximum temperature.
Fuel for tandoor
Now I’ll tell you about what and how to heat the tandoor. The best fuel is considered to be cotton stalks or camel thorn (amber), giving a very strong heat. According to experts, they give the dishes a special, very pleasant smell. Of course, in our region camel thorn and cotton can not get, so you can use ordinary finely chopped wood of deciduous trees.
Before baking tandoor thoroughly heated, burning fuel to coal.
When the inner surface is red-hot, stop heating, rake the coals in the center of the bottom of the tandoor, and then bake cakes, bake meat, fish — whatever your heart desires.
Modern tandoor, of course, not a piece product created by the hands of Oriental craftsmen. But it may well compete not only with the traditional grill, but also with the popular today its Western counterpart — barbecue.
I liked this tandoor the most, didn’t you?
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