The Tandoor Site

Cooking: Breads

How to cook breads

Bread is cooked in the tandoor by being stuck to the side of the pre-heated oven. This requires a deft hand and some tolerance to high temperatures (or thick, non-flamable gloves).

The oven must be pre-heated. Experience will tell you when it's at the right temperature (at least, that's what I assume - I haven't completely mastered this yet). I heat the oven with the mouth partially covered because I think that the top of the oven gets hotter that way. I consider it to be hot enough when I can't hold my hand inside the oven for more than 5 seconds or so. If you've got a high temperature thermometer then about 300C (570F) is probably about right.

Separate the prepared dough into portions and roll it out. I do this in the kitchen before carrying it out to the tandoor. Have a small bowl of water alongside the tandoor for wetting the breads just before they go into the oven. Make sure that you have bread removal tools (supplied with the oven - comprising a long hook and spatula) ready to hand. The other piece of equipment needed is a tea towel. Then you're ready to cook.

Make a ball with the tea towel and hold it, scrunched up, in one hand. With the other hand drape one rolled out piece of dough on top of the towel then rub the upper side with water from the bowl to help make the dough sticky. Now swiftly reach down into the oven and press the bread against the side. If you're lucky the bread will stay in place. If you're unlucky it will drop straight off into the embers and you'll know to press it into place better next time!

Repeat with all the breads, or as many as you can fit into the oven at one go. They should puff up very quickly and be cooked in about three minutes (it's a guess - I'll try to remember to time it next time I have a go). Remove by sticking the hook into the bread then levering it from the side of the oven with the spatula.

Recently a friend from Delhi came for lunch and I cooked him Naan. He helped out and his most useful comment was that in India they use a cushion rather than a balled tea-towel to put the bread in the oven. I can see why this is a good idea since it will apply pressure to more of the bread as it's being stuck to the side of the tandoor and so reduce the possibility of the bread stretching, breaking and falling into the bottom of the oven. I plan to make myself a cushion for the next cooking session. I used the recipe below and my friend was very complimentary about the results (but perhaps he was just being polite!) - his 9 month old son also seemed to enjoy the bread.

Naan

This recipe is adapted from Madhur Jaffrey. It is written for the domestic kitchen but is easily adaptable to the tandoor.

Makes 6 large breads

• 0.25 pint hand-hot milk
• 2 teaspoons castor sugar
• 2 teaspoons dried active yeast
• 1 lb plain flour
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil plus a little extra
• 5 fl oz plain yoghurt, lightly beaten
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Put the milk in a bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of the sugar and the yeast. Stir to mix. Set aside for 15—20 minutes or until the yeast has dissolved and the mixture is frothy.

Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder into a large bowl. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon sugar, the yeast mixture, the 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, the yoghurt, and the egg. Mix and form a ball of dough.

Empty the ball of dough on to a clean work surface and knead it for 10 minutes or more, until it is smooth and satiny. Form into a ball. Pour about ¼ teaspoon oil into a large bowl and roll the ball of dough in it. Cover the bowl with a piece of cling film and set aside in a warm, draught-free place for 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in bulk.

Preheat your oven to the highest temperature. Put the heaviest baking tray you own to heat in the oven. Preheat your grill.

Punch down the dough and knead it again. Divide it into 6 equal balls. Keep five of them covered while you work with the sixth. Roll this ball into a tear—shaped naan, about 10 inches (25.5cm) in length and about 5 inches (13cm) at its widest. Remove the hot baking tray from the oven and slap the naan on to it. Put it immediately into the oven for 3 minutes. It should puff up. Now place the baking tray and naan under the grill, about 3—4 inches (7.5—10cm) away from the heat, for about 30 seconds or until the top of the naan browns slightly. Wrap the naan in a clean tea towel. Make all the naans this way and serve hot.