The spicy marinade which coats the chicken gives it a distinct flavour, but the yoghurt balances it out to prevent it from being overly spicy.
It also gives off a smoky flavour which is due to the chicken being traditionally cooked in a tandoor. This makes this dish unique to other Desi chicken recipes.
If we look back at the origin of tandoori chicken there is so much that we don’t know. There is a lot more to it than just the taste.
The Origin of Tandoori Chicken
The origin of tandoori chicken has been a topic of debate for many historians. Innovations in tandoori chicken cooking are said to be have been developed by Kundan Lal Gujral. Then he decided to open a business, and Moti Mahal, the internationally recognised restaurant was born.
While Gujral is credited with inventing the tandoori chicken dish, it is debated that the origin dates back even further to the Mughal era.
They utilised the tandoor to prepare meat, including chicken. However, as the tandoor was not the most obvious choice for cooking meat, it was difficult for them to achieve tender and juicy pieces of tandoori chicken, especially with tandoor temperatures of 480°C.
Kundan Lal Gujral’s recipe was the first to perfect this way of cooking with chicken and changed the way of cooking chicken in India.
It may be argued as to who actually invented the dish, but either way, tandoori chicken is consumed worldwide and is loved by everyone.
Uniting Culture Through Foods
No matter what part of South Asia you are from, food can easily unite everyone. A memory from the Mughal era, tandoori chicken is more than just delicious food. It is a bond that has helped unite a major portion of South Asia.
With such a long history, tandoori chicken manages to remain an extremely popular part of Desi cuisine.
The delicious taste is down to an ancient way of cooking and it is still popular to this day as it is the only way to achieve such a unique flavour.
Whether it’s the South, North, East or West, tandoori chicken can be found. Because it is everywhere, it shows that people have after all one thing in common: the urge for a good meal.
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source: desiblitz.com
