Caucasian food is something special. No one can resist her. In this article we will tell you how to get a little closer to this kitchen, talk about the Armenian tandoor and try to make it yourself! We’ll also familiarize ourselves with one classic recipe for making cakes in an oven.
general information
The tandoor is a special brazier and barbecue at the same time. The Armenian tandoor has always a special spherical or pitcher-shaped shape. Its main purpose is cooking, and the auxiliary function is to heat the room where it is installed. Previously, this stove could always be found in the courtyard of Armenian families. Today, this tradition is preserved, but not as massively as it was before.
There are models of the Armenian tandoor both portable and stationary. But the furnace is always characterized by an extremely large heat capacity, while being economical in fuel consumption.
Who needs a tandoor?
The described oven is useful to those people who like to eat tasty food. But it is worth considering that its manufacture will require space, that is, this is an option only for those people who have their own yard. You don’t need to be an Armenian or come from other countries where the tandoor is part of their traditions and history, just love to eat delicious food to acquire it.
How to do it yourself
Almost any person can do the Armenian tandoor with his own hands, if you know the manufacturing technology and features well. We’ll talk about this now. The Armenian tandoor is sometimes also called tonir. It is made of special fireclay bricks and a special clay solution.
We will talk about the easiest option for manufacturing, for this reason our Armenian tandoor oven will have the shape of a cylinder (without a cone). The model will be stationary, as it will have a very, very impressive weight.
Before starting the manufacture of the furnace, you need to acquire all the necessary materials:
- At least 500 bricks will go to the tandoor.
- You will also need to prepare a special mixture for laying bricks.
- During the manufacturing process, you will stir it with water until the consistency you need.
There is no need to make a full foundation for the oven.
Manufacture
Getting started:
- In the place where your tandoor will be located in the future, you need to dig a small area, it should be equal in size to the two approximate diameters of the future furnace. Digging deep is not necessary, enough depth equal to the height of the bayonet of the shovel.
- After the hole is ready, half of its depth is covered with sifted sand.
- After that, fill the hole to the ground level with a solution for laying the furnace.
- Further drying is required. It will last about three weeks. At this time, you should protect your "construction site" from the rain.
- While everything dries, you can start making the oven template. Practice laying the oven so that its inside is a cylinder. The thickness of the seams should be about 10 mm.
After the solution has dried in the base of the furnace, we will begin the main stage of work:
- The first initial row of bricks is laid out so that there is a distance for the joints between adjacent bricks. The bricks are laid edge down (the side of the brick that has the smallest area).
- After one complete revolution is made, the row must be clearly aligned in the shape of a circle. Before masonry, the bricks are dipped in water for a couple of seconds, and then the mortar is smeared on them. The bricks then return to their place.
- After finishing the laying of the first circle, we proceed to the second and so on. After each circle, align it in shape, if necessary. The solution dries for a long time, so you will always have time to correct something.
- Do not forget to leave an opening in two bricks in the first row of the masonry, it will serve as a blower.
- Starting from the third row, the bricks are laid out completely, without gaps. It is only necessary to monitor the ligation of bricks (so that the edges of the bricks of the current row fall in the middle of the bricks of the previous row).
- The last row is laid out from the halves, which are filed in such a way as to create a narrowing in shape. Brick for this is sawn at an angle of forty-five degrees.
- After masonry is completed, an inner and outer coating should be done and our ready-made Armenian tandoor should be dried. It will take about a month.
Startup
The tandoor will dry out in a month, but in two weeks it will be possible to make the initial firing. It should be carried out with light fuel (paper, cardboard, small wood shavings).
To do this, throw a small amount of fuel at the bottom of the tandoor and light a fire. Add combustible materials gradually, this must be done until the outer walls of the furnace become slightly warm. When this happens, the fire can be extinguished, cover the oven for a day for even cooling.
When the walls have cooled, the lid is removed and the tandoor is burnt for another two weeks. Every day, the ignition procedure is repeated, but the heating is made stronger. On the last day, the heating should be such that if water is splashed onto the outer wall, it will boil right away and hiss.
After this, the final firing is done. Conventional fuel is put in the furnace. It should take about a quarter of the volume, make a fire. When the wood burns out and coals begin to form, then the fuel in the tandoor is replenished again. This must be done until such a quantity of coals is formed in the furnace that their volume will be approximately half the volume of the furnace. After this burning, the furnace is cleaned of ash, it is completely ready to cook food in it.
The best fuel for tandoor is wood from apple and cherry, but other fruit trees can also be used. If fruit trees are a scarce commodity for you, then use alder with a small addition of firewood from fruit trees.
Modern analogues
We examined how to make an Armenian tandoor in a classic version. But today you can find modern ready-made analogues. For example, the Armenian electric tandoor. This is a very convenient solution, from which there is no smoke in the cooking process. Of course, the prices of these products are a bit bite, but it is worth saying that the independent manufacture of a classic furnace is also not a simple matter. Electric tandoor can be placed in the gazebo or on the terrace.
What can be cooked in it
One can call the Armenian tandoor a universal solution. For a barbecue, by the way, it fits perfectly. In the abundance of heat, the meat is very tender and juicy. This oven is generally ideal for baking. Armenian lavash in tandoor is something that you want to eat to the last crumb.
Here is a short list of what can be cooked in the tandoor, but these dishes are not limited to the capabilities of the oven:
- Beef.
- Mutton.
- Turkey.
- Chicken.
- Pork.
- Various game.
- Domestic bird.
- Vegetables.
- Bread and tortillas.
- Fish (lake and sea).
- Seafood.
Features of cooking in the tandoor
Cooking in a tandoor is easy. Even without experience, you will succeed. Among the main and main advantages of cooking, we highlight:
- The special taste of the dishes (the food is soaked in smoke and at the same time remains very juicy and healthy).
- The speed of cooking. On average, a dish is cooked for no more than twenty minutes. During this time, any product manages to cook due to the very powerful and plentiful heat of the oven.
- Easy to cook. You do not need to ensure that the meat does not burn, in the tandoor this does not happen.
Tortilla recipe
It would be strange to end an article without at least one recipe. Consider how to make tandoor cakes. They are made from unleavened dough. It is mixed with 250 ml of pure water and 500 g of wheat flour, with the addition of a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of dried yeast.
This dough is cooked without dough, but it is important to know that before molding the cakes, it should add twice or three times in volume. The dough is divided into balls (each ball should have a weight of about 300 g) and roll out quite thinly.
Cakes are baked directly on the walls of the tandoor. Before you put the dough in the oven, you need to sprinkle it with water. To keep the cake, the side that will be in contact with the wall must be sprinkled with salt water.
Please note that to lay flat cakes in the oven you need to use mittens so as not to get a hand burn. When the product becomes rosy, it can be removed. On average, it takes about ten minutes to make the cakes.
To summarize
You met the classic Armenian chamotte brick tandoor, and even learned how to make it yourself. In addition, they learned the basics of cooking in this oven and learned about the features of this process. If you have the opportunity and desire, then be sure to get your own personal tandoor. Your loved ones will definitely appreciate it.