IT’S HERE TO STAY
Contrary to what some people think, the tandoor isn’t a health hazard for those who use it. So take these recipes and cook away!
Tandoors have been an essential part of North Indian cuisine from the Mughal era. In Delhi, you'll find a tandoori joint everywhere
For more than half the meals I have eaten in Delhi, tandoori items have remained an integral part. Because of that, while I may have gained a kilo or two (10 to 12, to be fair), my taste buds have not yet had enough of the kebabs, tikkas and more. Last week, I came across a statement by a neighbour that seemed to threaten my love for the tandoor: "People are searching for alternatives such as the chullah, as the gas tandoor has a negative health effect on those who stand in front of it for hours. It might even be banned because of this, who knows? I think it is good for people who work at restaurants," he had said. Though it may sound a bit selfish, I started having a panic attack just imagining what would happen to my sweet little tummy if this happens, and immediately began texting people in the culinary industry to clear my doubts, or, possibly, reveal the truth. Tandoors have been an essential part of North Indian cuisine from the Mughal era. In every nook and cranny of a city like Delhi, you'll find a tandoori joint. Be it a renowned one or a roadside food haunt, people will definitely try it out once for the sake of it. But, then, imagine if all of this disappears and people go for a baked chicken (not that I don't love baked dishes, but still!) instead of a reshmi kebab. Thankfully, I met chef Anooj Wadhwan the next evening.
He said, “Being an Indian cuisine chef, I cannot even imagine my kitchen without a tandoor. People would literally stop coming to my restaurant if I don’t have it. At the same time, tandoori dishes play a major role in my restaurant. If you come around eight in the evening, we only offer tandoori snacks.” “Earlier, whenever you had a tandoori dish, you could taste the flavour of cream, butter, chaat masala, lemon and coriander immediately. Now, in my kitchen I don’t use any chaat masala or lemon in my chicken items. Tandoori dishes have evolved with time, like any other dish. But that going obsolete is out of the question.”
On a similar note, chef Deep Chand Dobriyal shares, “Earlier, there were only chullah tandoors. And these used to emit dense smoke that would affect the person’s lungs and intestine because of inhaling the smoke and carbon dioxide for a longer period of time. But, those days are gone. Now, we have gas tandoors. And these work pretty efficiently and I’m happy about it. Looking at the environmental concern, we can sacrifice a tadbit on taste that the gas tandoor brings. Who knows, maybe even in future, I don’t know how, but we come up with an electric tandoor. Though, I’m not sure if that is possible.”
I reached home and my fear receded. I could sleep that night with dreams of savouring more tandoori items and possibly gaining another 10 kilograms. But, it felt great to know that my favourite Indian dishes were to remain with me for the many, many years to come.
“Being an Indian cuisine chef, I cannot even imagine my kitchen without a tandoor. People would literally stop coming to my restaurant if I don’t have it. At the same time, tandoori dishes play a major role in my restaurant.” — chef Anooj Wadhwan