AboutSojourner Expertise Indian main dishes, vegetarian and non-vegetarian, especially S. Indian, and breads (puri, chappati, nan). I had roti on here before but I can only make plain roti on the stove top - not tandoori roti or any of the fancy roti. I'm not so knowledgeable about snacks, pickles, desserts/sweets, or chutney.
I can find recipes for just about anything, though. Since I know the ingredients and the different measuring styles, I can "translate" recipes into a format more easily understood by an American audience.
I can also help you find sources for ingredients, explain what the staples used in Indian cuisine are, and explain what the different spices used in North and South Indian cuisine are and where to find them affordably.
Experience Was married to a man from Vijayawada and have been cooking Indian food for 30 years
Education/Credentials BS, currently working on doctorate
Expert: Sojourner Date: 6/19/2008 Subject: Questions about clay ovens?
Question Hi:
I live in Diamond Bar, a city in Southern California.
I am looking for a tandoor clay oven that can be fueled by bituminous coals. I've looked at many shops on and off the net. I've not been able to find one that I'm sure is safe to use bituminous coals on. Some use charcoal but I don't know if its safe to use bituminous coals on these oven.
I feel gas and charcoal are too bland. They don't give the flavor I like. To my nose and taste buds, nothing is more pleasant than garlic naan [Indian garlic bread] cooked in a clay oven fueled by bituminous coals. The earthy aroma of the clay combined with that of the bituminous coal really gets my appetite going.
Also, what type of heat is mostly used in clay oven to cook food -- radiant, conductive, or convective?
Thanks,
Green
Answer This is really sort of beyond my expertise, but I do know that it is unsafe to cook indoors using coal. I would strongly recommend against doing so.
As far as particular ovens that may or may not be safe to use with coal, you would have to contact the individual manufacturers, but I'd be surprised if you could find a residential oven that would safely burn coal.
Sorry I can't be of more help, but honestly I would recommend against trying to cook indoors with coal even if you could find a tandoor oven that is rated for coal.
