When it comes to tandoori cooking, no one can overlook the significance of marination. The  South Asian tradition of marinating meat and vegetables in a blend of spices and yogurt is a cornerstone of tandoori cuisine. Beyond its ability to tenderize and enhance the flavor, marination adds depth and complexity to the final tandoori dish. Let’s explore the techniques, ingredients, and magic it imparts to the food.

Tandoori marinades and dishes are loaded with vibrant & fiery flavours. If you cook your dishes in a  tandoori oven, you can make even better tandoori chicken than the restaurants you swear by. It’s not only about the tandoori chicken — but a variety of tandoori dishes like tandoori tacos, chicken tikka, paneer tikka, shashlik, or rotisserieing up a whole tandoor chicken. Why not? Make your own tandoori marination recipe instead of buying store-bought tandoori paste, and cook the juiciest tandoori dishes in your own tandoor oven. Just homemade, fresher, and tastier!

The power of ingredients

The foundation of a good tandoori marinade lies in the selection of fresh, wholesome ingredients. The base is yogurt, which adds flavour and texture. The acids in yogurt tenderize the meat while also adding a pleasant tanginess. To add depth and heat to the marinade, mix in cumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala, and chili powder. And let’s not leave out the fragrant mint, cilantro, and fenugreek leaves for a refreshing flavour. Finally, for a zesty kick, add something citrusy like garlic, ginger, and lemon juice.

Don’t let the list of ingredients stop you!

There are a lot of ingredients to choose from for your tandoori marinade. Each ingredient adds a little something, and the combination is what makes your marinade unique. 

It might seem harder than it needs to be, but all you need to do is mix the ingredients together in a bowl. Seriously…It’s as easy as that! Combine the yogurt and spices in the bowl and mix them thoroughly. Then, either coat your meat and vegetables with the marinade or rub it onto a whole chicken. Let it rest and allow the meat to absorb the tangy goodness of the yogurt and the fiery spices for at least half an hour (the longer, the better). You’ll find that it tastes better than any tandoori restaurant. 

Grill vs. tandoor oven

Can you imagine a tandoori dish without a tandoor oven? No way, right? By simply threading the marinated meat and veggies onto the skewers and placing them in the tandoor for just a few minutes, you can enjoy a freshly cooked tandoori dish bursting with rich, authentic flavors.

The high temperatures in the tandoor allow the juices to seal in, which makes the meat juicier compared to other cooking methods. The smoke from the dripping marinade, combined with the earthy aroma of the clay lining of the tandoor, adds a complex flavour to the tandoori dishes. 

So, start with a great tandoori marinade, and don’t forget to get your home tandoor oven from Tandoor Morni to enjoy great tandoori dishes in the comfort of your home!