Tandoori chicken

Tandoori chicken is a popular Indian dish consisting of roasted chicken prepared with yogurt and spices. The name comes from the type of cylindrical clay oven, a tandoor, in which the dish is traditionally prepared.

History

The origins of tandoori chicken can be traced back to the Harappan civilization, which existed more than 5000 years ago. The civilization used tandoors, which are traditional Indian ovens, for cooking poultry and meat. The modern version of the dish was created by Kundan Lal Gujral, a founder of Moti Mahal Delux in Peshawar, British India.

Preparation

The chicken is marinated in yogurt and seasoned with tandoori masala. It is moderately spicy but the heat is toned down to a "mild" taste level in most Western nations. Cayenne pepper, red chili powder or Kashmiri red chili powder is used to give it a fiery red hue in the traditional dish. A higher amount of turmeric produces an orange color. In milder versions, both red and yellow food coloring are sometimes used to achieve bright colors, however it is not uncommon to see the dish cooked without any added coloring.

Serving

Tandoori chicken can be eaten as a starter or appetizer, or as a main course, often served with naan (an Indian bread). It is also commonly used as a base for numerous cream-based curries such as butter chicken, and is also popular as a fast food item in the form of a wrap.

Variations

There are many different versions of the dish that have been developed since its creation. The popularity of tandoori chicken has led to the development of many local variants, such as Chicken Tikka which is popular in the United Kingdom.

See also

• Indian cuisine
• Chicken Tikka Masala
• Butter chicken
• Naan

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