Tag Archives: Tandoor
Tandoori Turkey
INGREDIENTS
Turkey:
1 12–14-lb turkey
1/4 cup kosher salt
5 black cardamom pods
5 green cardamom pods
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
4 garlic cloves
Marinade:
4 Cups (1 quart) plain whole-milk yogurt
1/2 Cup chopped peeled ginger
1/2 Cup fresh lime juice
1/4 Cup finely chopped garlic
1/4 Cup Paprika
2 Tbsp Tandoori Spice Blend
2 Tbsp Garam Masala Blend
2 tsp Chile Powder
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
STEPS
For turkey:
Pat turkey dry with paper towels. Rub inside and out with salt; transfer to roasting bag. Stuff turkey with cardamom pods and cumin seeds, then onion, celery, and garlic.
For marinade:
Purée all ingredients in a blender.
To assemble:
Pour marinade into roasting bag. Smear all over turkey and turn to coat. Tie bag and arrange turkey, breast side down, in a large heavy roasting pan. Refrigerate overnight.
Place turkey, in the bag in its roasting pan, on the counter at room temperature for 1 hr. Turn the turkey and the bag so that turkey is facing breast side up. Create steam holes in top of turkey bag (if required by manufacturer’s instructions.).
Preheat oven to 400°F. Roast turkey in the oven for 30 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F. Continue to roast until an instant-read thermometer, inserted into thickest part of thigh (puncturing bag with thermometer), registers 160°F, about 1-1/2 hours longer.
When turkey thigh reaches appropriate internal temperature, cut top of bag open, being careful of steam and juices, and pull back over turkey. Return to oven and roast turkey until breast is deeply browned (but not burned!) and a thermometer inserted into thigh registers 165°F, 15-30 min longer.
Remove roasted turkey from oven, and, when you are able, remove from baking bag and transfer to a platter. Let the bird “rest” for at least 20 min before carving.
Meanwhile, strain juices from the roasting pan and bag into a large saucepan. Skim fat from surface of the liquid. Simmer remaining juices over medium heat until sauce is reduced to about 3-1/2 cups, about 20 min.
Carve turkey. Serve with accompanying gravy.
Talking Tandoori
A Tandoor is a round clay oven (pictured, right) that is used from North Western India – through Pakistan and Afghanistan – up into Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey and as far west as the Balkans.
The tandoor oven dates back to the ancient civilizations you learned about in grade school, the Indus Valley [modern-day Pakistan], the “fertile crescent.”
Traditionally powered by a wood or charcoal fire inside the oven, a tandoor can reach blistering high temperatures (up to 900F!).
In addition to being a kind of oven, the word tandoor, or tandoori, also describes a dish cooked in a tandoor. In our part of the world, “tandoori” describes a cuisine of grilled or roasted foods, marinated beforehand in a spicy mixture that often includes yogurt.
For example, Tandoori Chicken (pictured, right) is marinated in yogurt seasoned with garam masala, garlic, ginger, cumin, cayenne pepper, and other spices which impart the dish with a bright orange-red color. On the other hand, Chef Amy’s recipe for Grilled Pork Tandoor, skips the yogurt, and instead uses a spicy citrus-and-oil-based marinade to flavor cubed and skewered pork.
Traditionally baked at high heat in a tandoor, tandoori cuisine can also be prepared in a gas or electric oven, or on an outdoor grill.
The precise ingredient list for tandoori cuisine varies from region to region, but our Tandoori Spice Blend includes Coriander, Fenugreek, Cinnamon, Cumin, Cayenne Pepper, Black Pepper, Onion Powder, Ginger, Clove, Garlic, Bay Leaves, Nutmeg, and Celery. You can rub the spice blend rubbed directly on meat (or veg or tofu), or blend with yogurt or oil for a marinade.
No 900-degree clay oven at your house? No worries. You can reproduce the vibrant color and robust flavor of traditional tandoori cooking: Marinate your dish for at least four hours, remove from Tandoori marinade, and bake (uncovered) for 45 minutes at 325F — or grill over direct high heat. Use leftover marinade for basting.
Photo credits: Amritsar Visit: Tandoor by bandarji on Flickr
Tandoori Chicken by Lori_NY on Flickr
Grilled Tandoori Pork
INGREDIENTS
14 oz pork loin or tenderloin
naan bread, to serve
plain yogurt, to serve
1 small cucumber, sliced as thinly as you can
Marinade
2 x 4-in pieces of fresh ginger, peeled and finely chopped
12 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 Tbsp Ground Cumin
1 Tbsp Ground Coriander
1 Tbsp Smoked Sweet Paprika
2-1/2 tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Ground Fenugreek
2 tsp Indian chile paste
5 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 Cup mustard oil
STEPS
Soak 8 wooden skewers in water overnight, or at least for an hour or two (this will help them from splintering as well as keep them from burning during the grilling process).
To make the marinade, simply combine ingredients in a non-aluminum bowl.
Cut the pork loin into 1″ cubes. Add the pork to the marinade, toss to coat and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Set up the outdoor grill for direct-heat cooking over high heat. Thread the pork cubes onto the skewers (consider using gloves to avoid staining your hands with the marinade) and cook on the grill for 5 min on each side, or until cooked through.
Warm the naan bread briefly on the grill, and serve with the tandoori pork, yogurt and cucumber. YUM!