Tandoori is a traditional cooking style, which has been around for many hundreds of years in various parts of the world. Similar to barbecuing the difference here is that the cooking takes place in a Tandoor which is a cylindrical oven made of special clay, heated by either charcoal, wood, gas or electricity.
The cylindrical clay shape allows temperatures in a tandoor to reach up to 480°C (900°F), making cooking times quicker and meats cooked to perfection.
The cooking style involves marinating, meats, fish or vegetables, in either yogurt, herbs, spices and lemon juice, for up to 12 hours and then placing them in the tandoor with special long skewers, where they become Tandoori.
Tandoori Chicken is far the most popular dish that is cooked in a tandoor and is identified by its deep red colour, often caused by the use of a mild and colourful chilli powder or red food colouring in the west. Other dishes you may find are Tandoori Prawns & Tandoori Lobsters.
Tandoori Naan & Rotis (breads) are also made in this device, rolled out and slapped on to the inside of the clay moulds, ready in minutes.