Tandoori Roti in Tawa or Non-Stick Pan

How many of us have wished to prepare hot, delicious tandoori roti at home? Most of us probably... One of the first constraints one might face is that tandoori roti needs a well...tandoor! Most of our simple kitchen equipments would not be able to mirror the cooking of a tandoor. And yet, i was determined to have home-made tandoori roti with my Chettinad Chicken this weekend... With a little bit of intuition and having all the required ingredients in the right quantity, I was able to cook the seemingly formidable tandoori chappati at home without using oven, microwave oven or any form of grilling equipment. 

Time Taken:
Preparation: 10 mins
Resting period: 2 - 3 hrs
Cooking: 20 mins for 5-7 rotis or flat bread

Serves:
Good for 2 people


Ingredients to make Tandoori roti:

2 Cups of Atta or wheat flour
2 Tablespoons of curd or plain yogurt, preferably with a spoonful of curd water
2 tsp of baking powder (make sure to use baking powder and not baking soda)
1/2 to 1 cup of hot water (before boiling point has reached)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp of cooking oil

Utensils required:

1 non-stick pan
1 non-stick pan lid of glass 
1 flat ladle of fibre material, wooden or stainless steel (make sure not to scratch the pan)
1 Glass deep bottomed bowl
1 wet muslin cloth or 1 sheet of clinging plastic to cover the dough
1 plate preferably not breakable and sturdy
1 large casserole with its lid to store the cooked rotis

Cooking Method for the Roasted Chappati or tandoori flat bread:

1. Set all the ingredients on the counter together as very soon you won't be able to open any drawers or lids with your soiled hands!
The kneading
2. Take the deep bottomed glass bowl and pour the atta or flour. Add the baking powder, the curd and the curd water
4. Wash your hands and wipe them dry
5. Start mixing the flour with your finger tips and fingers. Don't use your palm yet. Pour half the quantity of the hot cup of water and mix
7. Add salt to the mix and start mixing the ingredients very well. Continue to knead with your palm and knuckles
9. Add a couple of spoonful of water for the remaining dry flour and continue to knead together
10. Once the flour stops sticking to your fingers and palm to an extent, form a ball and cover it preferably with a clinging sheet completely sealing the bowl
The resting
11. Place the bowl in the warm spot in the kitchen or next to a sunny window
12. After 2 hours approximately, the flour will start rising and small bubbles will form on the dough
13. Wait till you see significant rising and then remove the cover of the bowl
The flattening
14. Smear cooking oil on both the palms and divide the dough into 5 - 7 medium size balls do not make too small portions in an effort to make many rotis out of the dough...it won't roast that well
15. Keep the divided portions in the covered bowl
16. Take one portion at a time and roll it roughly into a ball
17. Place it on the plate and start punching it with your knuckles or finger tips to get a rough elongated shape that of a tandoori roti
18. Make sure that it is a little thick at places and generally twice or thrice the thickness of a tawa roti. The thicker the better in this case

The roasting or cooking
19. Place your non-stick pan on the gas stove on high heat till the smoke starts evaporting
20. Without flipping the flattened roti, place the flat side  on the pan. It should start sizzling due to the oiled fingers kneading. Reduce the flame a notch and cover with the heavy glass lid
23. After 2-3 mins you will see bubbles on the roti and also check whether the roti is easily coming off on the sides
24. You may continue to let it cook for an extra minute or so. Then flip it once using the flat shaped ladle. You would see that the flat side will be nicely roasted by now and mostly dark brown in color
25. For a minute,  increase the flame a notch for the other side of the roti to get a roasted look as well and cover the lid
26. Once done take it off the pan and place it in the casserole with the lid slightly open. You can roast the other portions in a similar fashion. And there it is! Tandoori roti made on non-stick pan or heavy-bottomed tava!

Additional tips:
a. The first one usually takes more time and might get a bit sticky if the tawa or pan is not hot enough.
b. Team it up with endless spicy vegetarian dishes or non-veg dishes
c. Serve hot and fresh
d. Takes lesser time and effort that a regular tawa chappati 

Happy Cooking!

Do let me know if this recipe helped you or feel free to share tips, comments or pics of your version of home-made tandoori roti!

Cauliflower Pulao

Ingredients:

1. Oil for shallow frying
2. 1 kg cauliflower (gobhi)
3. 1/2 tsp salt
4. 3/4 black pepper powder

For Pulao:

1. 2 1/2 cups rice (basmati preferred)
2. 3 tsp oil
3. 2 bay leaves (tej patte)
4. 4 black cardamoms (badi ilaichi) crushed
5. 2 inch piece cinnamon (dalchini)
6. 4 cloves (laung)
7. 2 onions chopped
8. 2 inch piece ginger (adrak) grated
9. 4 green chillies chopped
10. 1 1/2 tsp salt
11. 1 tsp cumin (jeera) powder
12. 1 tsp red chilli
13. 1/2 garam masala powder
14. 5 cups of water

For Garnishing: 


3 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves

Preparation:

1. Clean and wash rice and soak in water for 20 mins.
2. Drain and set aside.

Method: 

1. Heat oil in a pan.
2. Add cauliflower and shallow fry till half done
3. remove sprinkle salt and pepper on cauliflower and set aside.
4. For cooking pulao, heat oil in heavy bottomed saucepan.
5. Add bay leaves, cardamoms, cinnamon and cloves.
6. As they start to sputter, add onions, and stir fry till they turn golden brown and semi-transparent.
7. Add ginger and green chillies and stir for another 1 - 2 minutes.
8. Add salt, cumin powder, red chilli powder and garam masala powder. Stir for another 1 - 2 minutes.
9. Add rice and cauliflower.
10. Carefully stir and mix to avoid breaking rice or cauliflower for 5 - 6 minutes.
11. Add water stir and mix well, cover and cook on reduced heat for  5 - 8 minutes or till water absorbs. 
12. Remove and set aside.
13. For serving, arrange cauliflower pulao in serving dish and serve hot garnished with coriander leaves and potato salli. 

Chicken Barbecue

Ingredients:


2kg chicken cleaned and washed
3 tbsp brown vinegar
3 tbsp maida for dredging
2 tbsp butter for basting
1 tsp salt


Marinate with:

1. 1 1/2 tbsp tomato ketchup
2. 3 tbsp soya sauce
3. 1 1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
4. 1 1/2 tobasco sauce
5. 1 1/2 tsp red chilli sauce
6. 1 1/2 tsp green chilli sauce
7. 3/4 tsp salt
8. 1 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
9. 3/4 tsp mustard powder

Method:

1. Cut the chicken into 12 pieces and poke them with fork.
2. Rub with salt and vinegar and set aside for 10 - 15 ins
3. Mix ingredients for marinate, rub into chicken and allow to marinate for 6 hrs.
4. Lightly dredge chicken with flour
5. Thread into skewers and grill in an electric grill for 8 to 10 mins.
6. Remove from fire and baste them with butter and grill again for 3 to 4 minutes.
7. Serve the grilled chicken pieces with lemon wedges, green salad and onion rings.

Talawa Gosht (Hyderabadi ) Recipe

Ingredients:

1. Meat - 1 Kg
2. Coriander Leaves - 2 Bunches [handful]
3. Salt - 2-3 tsp or according to taste
4. Red Chilli - 2 tsp
5. Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
6. Garam Masala (Mix of Spices) - 1/2 tsp
7. Ginger Paste - 1 1/2 Tbsp
8. Garlic Paste - 1 1/2 Tbsp
9. Vinegar - 1 tsp
10. Lime juice - 4 tsp
11. Oil for frying

Method:

1. Cut cube sized pieces of mutton and grind them slightly in a mixer. 
2. Make sure that the cubes are not fully minced but are only torn due to the grinding action.
3. Add Ginger paste, Garlic paste, salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and vinegar to the mutton. 
4. Mix it well and keep aside for 30 minutes to an hour. 
5. One can refrigerate overnight for better taste.
6. Heat 4 tbsp oil in a pressure cooker and fry the mutton for 3 minutes.
7. Add 2 cups of water and pressure cook on medium heat for 25 minutes.
8. Heat a non-stick cooking vessel/pan with several Tbsp of oil for frying mutton.
9. Unload the contents of the pressure cooker into the frying pan. 
10. Fry the mutton for 10 minutes. 
11. Add coriander leaves and fry for another 5 minutes or until the mutton is blackish brown in color. 
12. Add more oil if needed.
13. Heat the coal pieces to red hot. Cut slices of onion and place them in a funnel shape in the fried mutton. Pour some ghee to it. 
14. Drop the heated coal pieces into the onion slices holding ghee. 
15. Immediately put the lid on the pan and let the smoke settle to give a tempting aroma.
16. Pour lime juice, mix well and serve hot with slices of onion and tomato.

Mutton Keema Masala

Ingredients:

1. Minced lamb- 1 1/2 lbs
2. Large onion- 1 (finely chopped)
3. Tomatoes- 2 (finely chopped)
4. Green chilies- 2 (finely chopped)
5. Grated ginger- 1/2 inch piece
6. Crushed Garlic- 3 cloves
7. Red chili powder- 1/2 tsp
8. Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
9. Coriander powder- 1 tsp
10. Cumin powder- 1/2 tsp
11. Garam masala powder- 3/4 tsp
12. Cinnamon- 1 stick
13. Bay leaves- 2
14. Cloves- 2
15. Green cardamoms- 2
16. Salt to taste
17. Oil- 1/3 cup
18. Chopped cilantro (coriander) leaves

Method:

1. Boil the minced lamb with 1 clove of crushed garlic and bay leaves in 2 cups of water for 5-10 minutes. 
2. Drain the water.
3. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves for a minute and add the onions and fry until golden brown. 
4. Add ginger-garlic and green chilies and fry for couple of minutes. 
5. Add the boiled meat and saute for 5 minutes. 
6. Add the turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder,
7. coriander powder and half of the garam masala powder and stir-fry for 5 minutes. 
8. Add the tomatoes and salt. 
9. Mix well. 
10. When the moisture in the tomato is fully absorbed, then stir-fry for 2 minutes. 
11. Add 2 cups of water and cook until the meat is tender. 
12. Add the remaining garam masala powder and stir fry for 5 more minutes. 
13. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. 
14. Serve hot. 

To make it even spicier add 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper and 1 tbsp fresh cream and mix well.