Tandoori food is not only delicious but is also an all-time favorite food for Indians! May it be a house party, gatherings, buffets or a marriage party! You will find tandoori food everywhere! Tandoori fish, tandoori chicken, tandoori tikka and tandoori naan! They are delicious and also healthier than fried bread like puri and paranthas. Tandoori food is cooked in a tandoor which gives it a smoky and charcoal flavor that wakes up your senses instantly. Some of these Tandoori foods are really easy to cook at home, what else do you need? Here’s a list of Tandoori foods that you can cook at home easily and something that you must have at your party!
Table of Contents
Classic Tandoori Foods | Evergreen Dishes From The Tandoor
1. Tandoori Chicken
Think tandoori food and tandoori chicken is the first thing that comes to everyone’s mind. India’s most famous tandoori food, this tandoori chicken is prepared marinating the chicken in yogurt and spices and then roasted in a tandoor (clay oven). Tandoori chicken is best served with cucumber salads, cheese and garlic naan fingers, butter naan, cheese naan and lots of onion and green chutney. This is the main dish loved by most when having a party or friends over!
2. Tandoori Paneer
One of the most famous vegetarian tandoori foods, this is one of the popular starters in any restaurant’s menu. It is smoky, spicy and a perfect blend of flavors. It is prepared by marinating the paneer with yogurt, oil and salt. It is grilled along with some bell peppers and capsicum in tandoor. Tandoori paneer is served with pudina chutney and onion rings.
3. Tandoori Naan
The most famous and versatile tandoori food! Naan is jaan (soul) of every sabji or daal that we order! May it be Butter Chicken or Butter Paneer! Dal makkhani or Shahi Paneer, Naan is a must! It has varieties like butter naan which is a soft Indian Flatbread that is drenched with butter and served hot! Butter naan is the most liked naan by not only Indians but people around the world who try Indian food! The other types of Naan are Laccha Naan, Garlic Naan, Paneer Naan, Chilli Cheese Naan.
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More Popular & Delicious Tandoori Foods
4. Tandoori Prawns
Prawns are loved by anyone who enjoys eating seafood. Most people love everything made from prawns as they are tasty and healthy. And when it comes to being a part of tandoori food, how can anyone say no to prawns? Tandoori prawns are made using a blend of Indian spices, some fresh prawns and some lemon juice. These are marinated with a mixture of Indian spices and then grilled to perfection until they turn pink on both sides. This tandoori food is best served with fried onions, mint chutney and they make a portion of perfect tandoori food for parties and buffets.
5. Tandoori Gobi
Tandoori gobi is a dry cauliflower dish coated and marinated in spices and yogurt just like tandoori paneer. Cooking it in a tandoor gives it a nice smoky and charcoal flavor. It is best served with pickled onions and mint chutney.
6. Tandoori Pomfret
This Indian delicacy is a perfect blend of taste, aroma, and flavors. Pomfret fish is cleaned by trimming its tail, scales, and fins. Then it is marinated in a thick paste of yogurt and besan and kept for some time. After that it is grilled to perfection and served with onions, cucumber and lemon squeezed on it. Drool-worthy!
7. Tandoori Fish Tikka
This delicious tandoori food is prepared by using different fishes like Salmon, Monk Fish, Bass, Tilapia, Snapper and more. These are thickly coated and marinated in an onion-garlic paste, spices, and yogurt and then grilled in a tandoor until cooked. Served with fresh mint chutney and onions this tandoori food is relished by all!
8. Tandoori Fruit Chaat
Tandoori chaat is prepared using fruits such as green apples, strawberries, pineapple, pomegranate, sweet potato and three colored peppers marinated in a mixture of spices and masala.
9. Tandoori Aloo
Tandoori aloo (potatoes) are another prominent tandoori food that most vegetarian love in India. Boiled potatoes are marinated in spicy yogurt, herbs, and spices. These can be easily prepared at home and are perfect for parties, game nights and potlucks. Tandoori aloo is something that is loved by all age groups, especially kids!
10. Tandoori Mushrooms
Tandoori mushrooms are a delicious appetizer. These are coated and marinated with almond, milk, yogurt and spices like coriander powder, garam masala, chili powder and grilled until cooked well. You can also add onion-ginger-garlic paste for a more robust taste! Mushrooms are one tandoori food that also impresses meat eaters!
11. Tandoori Soya Chaap
Tandoori Soya chaap is a vegetarian version of Tandoori Chicken. Served as a starter, the soya pieces in this dish are marinated in rich spices, cheese and butter.
To prepare Tandoori soya chaap, wash and dry soya chaap sticks, apply ginger, garlic, and salt to the chaap sticks and leave it aside. Prepare the masala using curd, black pepper, turmeric, red chili, coriander, garam masala, chaat masala, and salt. Mix them together and add grated cheese, mix well to form a paste. Cover the soya chaap sticks with the paste and leave in the fridge for marinating. If you don’t have an electric tandoor.
Here’s what you can do: Heat oil in a pan and cook the sticks until brown and crisp. Squeeze some lemon and serve it with onion rings and chutneys! Your homemade tandoori food is ready!
12. Tandoor Tikka Seel Kand
If you have a dinner party at your house this is the best recipe to prepare. To make Tandoori Tikka Seel Kebab, the breast pieces of chicken are stuffed with onion, pepper, garlic, and mint and placed on potato cakes. After which the chicken is marinated and later put in tandoor to cook. You can grill the marinated chicken when you are preparing this at home and serve it with mint chutney and roasted sun-dried tomatoes. A totally unique dish, this is a must for your dinner party!
13. Tandoori Broccoli
Tandoori Broccoli is a low-calorie recipe that one should try for a salubrious diet. This tandoor food recipe is made by marinating broccoli in a mixture of curd, chaat masala, and kasuri methi.
14. Tandoori Murg
Tandoori murgh is one of the famous tandoori dishes this yogurt-marinated chicken is cooked in a tandoor. Traditionally it is cooked using a whole chicken but this recipe also tastes good when cooked using thighs, drumsticks or boneless breasts. It’s tandoori smoky flavor is just heavenly but you can get the desired flavor at home as well. Tandoori murg is the most popular Tandoori recipe and Yogurt and butter makes it a mouthwatering one!
15. Fish Tikka
For those who love eating fish, who can say no to a deliciously smoked fish platter? This lip-smacking tandoori food makes for a drool worthy delight and is a treat for your taste buds.You can always pair it up with a drink and an onion salad with lemon juice.
16. Tandoori Malai Tikka
Chicken malai tikka or murgh malai is a tasty and juicy grilled chicken recipe with chicken pieces marinated in spices, cream,chillies and lemon. It tastes different from the regular grilled chicken tikka and is served as an appetizer,snack or it is served hot with cooked rice and naan. This tandoori food is known by a lot of names like, murgh malai tikka, chicken malai kabab and Murgh Malai.
17. Tandoori Chai
To all the chai lovers! For someone who is crazy for chai and can have a cup anytime, anywhere, this is for you! Tandoori chai is a really famous thing among all the chai lovers. This amazing vtandoori chai got its buzz after a tea shop in Pune, called ‘Chai La,’ came up with this unique concoction. This chai is different and interesting and tasty because of its preparation style! An empty kulhad or clay pot is kept in a tandoor and pre-heated and then tea which is half-cooked, is poured in it and it gets brewed completely. This is how you get a smoky chai with an earthy flavor of a kullhad! Feel like having a cup right now? So do we!
18. Tandoori Corn
Corn on the cob (bhutta) is a popular Tandoori food snack specially in the monsoon. Some people prefer eating a boiled corn but for those who love a little smoky twist in their food go for the Roasted corn on the cob which is spiced with tandoori mix to prepare lip smacking Tandoori corn on the cob. A loads of butter and curd dds on to the taste of it!
19. Tandoori Aloo Pyaaz Kulcha
This crispy Tandoori kulcha has a spicy potato and onion filling in it. Served with a lot of butter and onions it can also be paired with chickpeas if you are making it at home. Usually it is served with pickle, chutney and chane.
20. Tandoori Crab
Crabs are a favorite sea food all over the world. Tandoori crab is not as famous as tandoori chicken in India but for those who love sea food and specially crabs this is the perfect fit for them! Crabs are marinated with spices, garlic and yogurt and prepared in a tandoor until cooked.
21. Haryali Kebab
To make haryali kebab its simple and quick ,mix Coriander Leaves, Yoghurt, Green Chillies, Red chilies some spices and Mint in a blender and completely marinate the Chicken with this mixture and let it set. If you don’t have an electric tandoor just simply grill the chicken and serve it with fresh chutney, onions and a squeeze of lemon on it.
22. Balochi Aloo
This tandoori dish is a bundle of flavors and a unique variation of the Tandoori Aloo. The Potatoes are hollowed out and instead filled with vegetables,cottage cheese, cashews and sometimes even fruits, yogurt and spices and then cooked in a tandoor. If you are making it at home you can always grill them until they are crispy and ready to eat!
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some interesting FAQs on Famous Tandoori Foods :
Naan, tandoori paneer and tandoori chicken are the most famous dishes cooked in tandoor.
Yes. Cooking food in tandoor helps retain the vitamins and minerals of the food getting cooked.
Tandoor cooking is better as it results in a more flavorful dish.
Ideally no, food cooked on tandoor tends to be less in calories as compared to fried junk food.
Final Words
So, if you have a house party, worry not! Make some of these tandoori foods along with drinks and you are good to go! Not only will people love your choice of food, but your guests will also love the taste, flavors, and aroma of this array of tandoori food!