Sharma’s Special Tandoor Oven & DISHES

Everybody’s heard of tandoori food, but did you know that these dishes are cooked in a specially made, similarly named tandoor oven?

The tandoor oven first became popular in South Asia and is also known as a “Bhatti”, from the Bhatti tribe of the Thar Desert. Small villages used to share one communal tandoor oven and there are even some communities which still do so. Tandoor ovens aren’t just found in India anymore, they are common in other places like Turkey, Pakistan, Central Asia and of course, Malta.

What Is A Tandoor Oven?

So, what exactly is a tandoor oven, you ask? It’s a vertical cooking pot made from clay that remains hot for very long periods of time, reaching extremely high temperatures. It is in a cylindrical shape and unlike western horizontal ovens, the food is normally lowered on skewers into the oven, to allow it to cook evenly on every side. The radiant, convection heat and smoke allow the food to cook wildly fast, whilst absorbing moisture. This requires little to no grease or oil. The walls of the tandoor oven are usually marinated in spices which the food will sometimes stick to, creating an enriching flavour.

Tandoor ovens are sometimes compared to BBQs, as the foods are cooked in a similar way using firewood or charcoal for fuel. There is however, a big difference in taste, and the combination of the spices, high temperature and clay of the tandoor oven, give the food a unique flavour that cannot be replicated using a BBQ.

What Are The Benefits Of A Tandoor Oven?

Tandoor ovens are like no other, as food can be cooked from both the inside of the pot and the outside, due to the excessive radiant heat. The extreme temperatures mean that food cooks much quicker than in other ovens. For example, chicken and kebabs are usually ready within 10 minutes, a whole chicken is cooked within 30 minutes and a leg of lamb can be cooked within an hour!

The beaming heat of the tandoor’s clay pot ensures that no essential nutrients are lost from the food, and that all the flavour from the added spices are locked into the food early on. The flavour of the meats that come out of the tandoor oven are mouth-wateringly special and just couldn’t be created in a standard oven. Even when the breads get stuck to the edges of the oven, they form a pungent earthy taste. There’s no need to use oil in a tandoor oven, therefore this way of cooking is much lower in fat and cholesterol than other cooking methods.

Sharma’s Tandoori Dishes

We have a range of dishes on offer at Sharma created in our grand tandoor ovens. You will certainly be able to taste the difference in the way that these dishes have been cooked.

Try our famous Chicken Tikka Tandoori which includes 6 pieces of boneless chicken thighs marinated in yogurt and spices. Our Seekh Kebab is also very popular and includes 6 pieces of minced beef mixed with our delicious herbs made in our tandoor oven. Or if you fancy sharing a meal, try our Tandoori Platter for two, consisting of 4 chicken tikka, 4 Sheekh Kebab and Haryali Tikka.

We also offer plenty of Indian side dishes cooked within our tandoor oven, including our delicious range of Naan Breads. Have a look at our menu to see all of the flavourful Indian food that’s available at Sharma, and do order your takeaway or delivery from us soon! or order your take-away from us soon!