Tandoori chicken
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 |
This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Please improve this article if you can. (September 2007) |
 Tandoori chicken in Mumbai, India |
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| Origin | |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | India |
| Region or state | South Asia |
| Dish details | |
| Main ingredient(s) | Chicken, yogurt, tandoori masala |
Tandoori Chicken is a roasted chicken delicacy that originated in South Asia.[1]
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[edit] Preparation
The chicken is marinated in yogurt and seasoned with tandoori masala. It is moderately hot, but the heat is toned down to a mild taste level in most Western nations. Cayenne pepper, red chili powder, or other spices give it a red hue. A higher amount of Turmeric produces an orange colour. In some modern versions, both red and yellow food colourings are used. It is traditionally cooked at high temperatures in a clay oven (tandoor), but can also be prepared on a traditional grill.
[edit] History
The story of its origins lies with a man named Kundan Lal Gujral, who ran a restaurant called Moti Mahal in Peshawar before the partition of India. Trying out new recipes to keep his patrons interested, Gujral tried cooking chicken in tandoors (clay ovens) used by locals until then to cook naans (bread). The tandoors are bell-shaped ovens, set into the earth and fired with wood or charcoal reaching temperatures of about 900 degrees. Gujral was able to cook the tender chickens in these ovens making them succulent inside and crispy outside.
After the partition in 1947, Punjab was partitioned with the Eastern portion joining India and the Western, Pakistan. Peshawar became part of Pakistan and Gujral found himself one among many refugees fleeing the rioting and upheaval by moving to India. He moved his restaurant to Delhi in a place called Daryaganj.
The Tandoori chicken at Moti Mahal so impressed the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, that he made it a regular at official banquets. Visiting dignitaries that enjoyed Tandoori Chicken included American Presidents Richard Nixon and John Kennedy, Soviet leaders Nikolai Bulganin and Nikita Khrushchev, the King of Nepal, and the Shah of Iran.
The fame of Tandoori Chicken led to many derivatives like Chicken Tikka Masala and Butter Chicken, commonly found in menus in Indian restaurants all over the world.
[edit] Regions
This dish is popular in most of North India and West Bengal, India. In North India and Pakistan it is eaten with Naan and, in West Bengal and Bangladesh it is eaten as a starter before a meal.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "Metro Plus Delhi / Food : A plateful of grain". The Hindu. 2008-11-24. http://www.hindu.com/mp/2008/11/24/stories/2008112450160200.htm. Retrieved on 2009-05-07.
[edit] External links
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Wikibooks Cookbook has a recipe/module on |
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