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28th April 2005, 10:48 AM
#1
Member
Junior Hubber
TANDOOR....At "Sadde Punjab Da Sanjha Chulha "
TANDOOR
"The Clay Oven"
THE GREAT INDIAN BARBEQUE
The TANDOOR, which means a Clay Oven, is of great antiquity; a cooking appliance that, either by accident or by design, is extremely efficient and yet simple to make.
HISTORY
Tandoors have been found in excavations of Harappan and pre-Harrapan sites. Where and when the first tandoors existed is still a matter of continuing research. But, generally speaking and because of the generic term `Tandoor´, it is said to have originated in ancient India.
Guru Nanak (AD 1469 - 1539) founded a new religion in Punjab called Sikhism. An important step he took was to bring all people together under the concept of langer. Here, people of all castes sat and ate together. The tandoor was used to its full potential and was able to serve hot, freshly baked bread to many people at a time. The Guru urged people to have common tandoors in their lanes. This not only did away with the concept of high and low caste, it was a great fuel saver. The sanjha chulha or common oven as it was called, proved extremely popular with the womenfolk. It was economical and gave them a common platform to exchange ideas and daily news.
The concept took root quickly and spread all over Punjab and the North-West Frontier Provinces. In many places, the tandoor was lit for all to bake their bread. People of every tone came - caste, creed and color were forgotten. The goal was common: to bake fresh bread for a hungry stomach.
The tandoor held its own just as it had done down the ages. During the Second World War one could get delicious mince-meat seekh kebabs made in the tandoor at Nisbat Road in Lahore. In the frontier areas and Punjab, preparations of meat and fowl like teetar, bater, chicken, all made in the tandoor, were popular.
Tandoori chicken and roti are now world famous. When one stops to think that the appliance we have today is a form of what primitive man might have used, the historic ethos of the tandoor becomes quite amazing.
CONSTRUCTION
The tandoor works on the same princple as the oven. However, it is the only kind of oven that provides complete wrap-around heat. No modern oven has that capability, making the tandoor one of the most scientific and versatile of all cooking apparatus. By controlling the draught and quality of fuel, we are able to produce temperatures up to 400 degrees C. It can be built on site from good clay and uses chopped, dry timber as fuel. Counter sunk and mud plastered, it can be ready for heating in three days. If built of clay, however, it needs six to seven days to dry. The fact remains that you do not have to go anywhere special to make a tandoor, and you can make one wherever you are.
TANDOOR TODAY
In India we have basically two types of tandoors. The small home tandoor and the larger, commercial tandoor. The home clay tandoor is small in size and can accommodate eight to ten rotis at a time. The last few years have seen a major change in the home tandoor. In a major improvisation, the tandoor is now enclosed in a metalic drum. This prevents it from cracking and it can be carried from place to place. Sizes vary from the little ones with a capacity of six to eight rotis to the largest ones that can bake twenty to twenty-five rotis at a time.
Other places where forms of tandoors were and are still used are
Afghanistan, Egypt, China, Iran, Arab Countries, Caucasus and Europe.
Excerpts from "Tandoor - The Great Indian Barbeque" by Ranjit Rai
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28th April 2005 10:48 AM
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28th April 2005, 10:55 AM
#2
Member
Junior Hubber
THODI CHAY-SHAY
In this thread, I would be posting recipes, critisism, howlers from net ,some pujabi da humour but all connected with kitchen.
Early mornings in Karamjeet's Dhaba would be the time for Tea.
The truck drivers need something to get over their hangover of "Lalpari "or the "Desi "which they might have drunk with great food the previous night.
In punjab, we call tea call as CHHAY-SHAY ho jaay.
Someone had requested about Kadak Chaay of Dhaba .
So get the recipe which you will not like to use to prepare tea.
KADAK CHAAY of dhabas is a concoction of Tea (Usually dust tea) boiled in water along with either some Poppy Pods or with a dash of Opium.The boiling goes over ten minutes to extract resins from poppy pod. The decoction is added to equal amount of milk. Please use your own measure if you want.
The dhaba man may add a dash of Ginger or Elaichi .
This is known as,
MARDON WALI CHAY or TANATAN CHAY.
This is strictly Truck driver's delight.
The usual Punjabi Chay is not so strong and mainly Elaichi is used to add aroma to tea made from milk and water using both in 75:25 ratio. Milk is Buffalo milk and water of Punjab. Tea from Assam/Dajeeling or Timbaktoo it does not matter. LOL.
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28th April 2005, 10:58 AM
#3
Senior Member
Devoted Hubber
Hello Pammi,
Thanx for the info. Read on some other thread that you r from Punjab. Pls post some recipes of simple home cooked food from Punjab. I really enjoy all the rich punjabi dishes we get in the restruants like daal makhani, paneer makhani, palak paneer, malai kofta ect. But what I'm looking fwd to is some simple recipes cooked at home for everyday meals. Something that U have learnt from your mom, aunts, granny ...
Would really appreciate it if u could spare the time to post such recipes, coz these recipes r not available to me thru cook books or the net.
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28th April 2005, 10:58 AM
#4
Senior Member
Devoted Hubber
Gosh Pammi, mine was a humble request for some home cooked food. And u r plannig to kill us opium tea
Now I understand why poppy seeds r banned in singapore. I had no idea boiling poppy pods for ten mins brings out harmful resins out of it.
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28th April 2005, 10:59 AM
#5
Senior Member
Devoted Hubber
I'm mainly looking for recipes of veggies, daal, lentils that go well with phulka. I would prefer it to be quick and simple as I have to make it in the morning and pack it into lunck boxes. Chicken and egg recipes r also welcome, I can try them for dinner.
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28th April 2005, 11:05 AM
#6
Member
Junior Hubber
Howlers from net recipes.... PHIS or CHICKEN
Hi Friends,
I wus doin some "Research" on some recipe on fish as prepared by Parsis . And what do I catch instead of fish?
See 4 urself..
Patrani Macchi (Wrapped Chicken) - CAROL SELVA RAJAH
Serving size: Serves 8
Cooking time: Less than 60 minutes
INGREDIENTS
500gm chopped chicken meat
lotus leaves (8 large pieces), banana leaves or foil
1 Spanish onion chopped
2 cm ginger chopped
5 cloves garlic chopped
1 tablespoon oil for frying
3 tablespoons lime juice
˝ cup coriander leaves, chopped finely
2 coriander plant roots, chopped
10 ground almonds
2 teaspoons cumin seeds dry roasted, then pounded
2 teaspoons chilli paste or powder
˝ teaspoon sugar & salt
juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons ghee or margarine to fry the parcels Print recipeEmail recipeCreate shopping list
METHOD
Cut the banana leaves into 22-24cm squares and soften them by dipping into a pan of very hot water. Wipe the pieces dry when they become pliant. Arrange meat in a bowl. Paste gets mixed into meat then it is divided into 8 portions to be placed on banana or lotus leaves.
In a wok gently cook the onions, garlic and ginger to brown, then blend with the rest of the coriander root and leaves and the chilli and cumin powders.
Apply the paste to the meat and mix well, then place on the 8 banana leaves. Sprinkle some lime or lemon juice and after balancing flavours wrap up, tying firmly with string or raffia.
Place the oil in a shallow saucepan and heat on low. Shallow-fry the fish parcels together. After about 5 minutes, turn the parcels over and fry for a further 5 minutes. Cover pan to cook meat. The leaves will darken and shrink. Grill under heat for a couple of minutes to give a smoky flavour.
Serve each parcel opened up on a plate, garnished with mint leaves with festive yellow rice, a simple yoghurt and cucumber raita and a mango or lime chutney.
http://aww.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=42840
My thick Sardar brain is still searching for the "Phish"
pammi
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28th April 2005, 11:08 AM
#7
Member
Junior Hubber
Hi Tomato,
That wus quick !
Ur name suggests that u2 are a foodie like me.
Ya, I know people need real stuff and I would try and get recipes of our kitchens .
Any preference?
If I have the recipe, I'll post it or else will get it 4 u.
Sadde naal rahoge to aish karoge...
pammi
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28th April 2005, 11:49 AM
#8
Senior Member
Devoted Hubber
Hello Pammi,
I got confused with two threads started by you.
I think you have still not got the hang of going about the method of using the tools in this hub.
No problem. You will get used to in a week or so.
Your info on dhaba kadak chai was shocking. I know that in North, people use poppy pods in tea but using Afim is very evil
Loved the howler on patra ni machhi.
I would be requesting some veg recipes . Hope you would try and get me.
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28th April 2005, 04:19 PM
#9
Member
Junior Hubber
Hi Mr.Nichiro,
I'm sorry abt the twin postings. U r right. I wud get the hang of the system in couple of days.
Yes sir, the recipe mentioned above actually was printed in an Australian mag. Jus follow the link I gave at the bottom.
I 'm sure that the lady Carol Selavaraj did a blochy job as u can read in the following line,
"Place the oil in a shallow saucepan and heat on low. Shallow-fry the fish parcels together"
I can't follow how the PHISH suddenly re appeared.
pammi
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28th April 2005, 04:44 PM
#10
Member
Junior Hubber
Hi ash-970,
Methinks that u r refering to my thread with Patra Ni Machhi howler from Australia and an informative piece on Mardon wali chaay.
What under current u've found ?
My mama da puttar had a trucking company and this information is very true.
u may fall down the stool if u know that truck drivers have another dangerous habit.
It is known as SAANP KATWANA.
A snake of small size which is found in Northern India is kept by people at Dhaba points. The truckers who are addicted to this dangerous form of self poison, go to these guys and get bitten on their tongue. The resultant euphoria and Nasha is too much like having drunk a bottle of moonshine.
Coming to the PATRA NI MACHHI recipe printed by me shows that people who do not know cooking profess to know and print recipes under their name which are lifted from other sources.
If some one like me uses cut and paste method of a recipe from a chinese site without knowing finer points of chinese food, people will ridicule me when they read it.
forum hub as I've discovered has a very strong presence on the net. Just as I discovered it, many others will be coming to forum through the recipe road. If the recipe is blotchy, the hub will get a bad name.
Actually I'm of the opinion that some one as experienced like Mr.Hemant (sorry, Mr. Nichiro) or Mrs. Mano or any other person having years of experience should run a seperate thread which would not only discuss different recipes but also point out what is incorrect in a recipe. (sorry my QC background comes here).Even they should not spare each other too.
If I'm not shot down as before, I wud like to point out gross errors in the recipe of PATRA NI MACHHI as posted by a lady in forum.
Under marination, u'll see lime juice etc. No lady , its not marination. Marination of fish in the recipe is of Green paste of spices.
Further more no name of appropriate fish is mentioned.
I've got nothing against any body here but an error is an error and has to be corrected.
Savy ?
pammi
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