Tandoors: Then Vs. Now

Cooking is an integral part of almost each and every household on the planet and so are the cooking equipment. Tandoor is one such equipment which has a history of not just decades but centuries.

Traces of Tandoor date back by 5000 years to Indus valley and Harappan civilizations of ancient India. Even some remains were found during the excavation of these historical sites. Tandoor and its uses are not limited to India or Asia only. Tandoor and its remains were found even in the ancient Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations. Rumour has it that the Mughal emperor Jahangir was so fond of Tandoori food that a portable tandoor always accompanied him with his cooks whenever he used to travel.

Although modern technology boats of a wide variety of tandoors, traditional tandoors are nowhere behind.

Afghan Tandoor: The Afghan tandoor is made of bricks and typically sits above the ground (contradictory to its other counterparts which are generally underground or dug out).

Punjabi Tandoor: A typical Punjabi is made up of clay and is a huge bell-shaped earthen over. It can either be set into the earth and fuelled using wood or charcoal or rest above the ground.  Temperature in a Tandoor can reach up to reach 480 degrees Celsius (900 Fahrenheit). Tandoor cooking is a traditional aspect of Punjabi cuisine in undivided Punjab. Some villages still have a communal tandoor, which was a common sight prior to 1947.

Armenian Tonir: Armenians are known to worship Sun, Fire or their symbols as their God. In ancient times, the Tonir was also worshiped as a symbol of the sun in the earth. Armenians made Tonir in a way that it looked like the setting Sun or the Sun going into the ground. The underground Tonir, made of clay, is one of the first tools in Armenian cuisine, as an oven and as a thermal treatment tool. Underground Tonir is said to have been invented by the Armenians.

Azerbaijani Tendir: Tandir bread (tandoori bread) is widespread bread type in Azerbaijan. Tandir bread is baked from the heat of the Tandir\'s walls, which ensures very fast baking. Azerbaijan\'s southern city of Astara is a proud builder of one of the world\'s biggest tandoors (6.5meter height and 12meters diameter) since 2015.

Turkmen Tamdyr: An honoured culinary ritual in Turkmenistan consists of baking a traditional, white bread called çörek. It is made in the traditional clay oven, known as Tamdyr in Turkmenistan. Tamdyrs are found in every other household in rural area of Turkmenistan.

With growing urbanization and space constraints it is a tad bit impractical and difficult to own a huge traditional tandoor. Coming to the rescue are modern-day stainless-steel Tandoors, Canada. These Tandoors are completely portable and can be fuelled by either charcoal or natural gas or even propane. These tandoors are well equipped with modern day fuel conversion kits which provides the ease of switching between the fuels. Tandoors Canada are very light in weight and are highly portable. Even the bulky ones for hotel industry come with wheel for easy manoeuvring.

If you are already feeling hungry by now and are craving for some delicious homemade crispy tandoori bread or tandoori chicken, go ahead and buy a Tandoor for your home or restaurant use and satisfy your hunger pangs.