What is tandoor? Surely, you are familiar with this word, and many are even lucky enough to see it or try delicacies prepared in the tandoor. In the Middle East, there is a tandoor in almost every home. In the absence of gas in the Caucasus in ancient times, it could replace a gas stove.
A tandoor is a roasting pan that has an interesting jug-shaped shape. The main purpose of the tandoor is cooking. Despite its popularity in eastern countries, in Lately brick and clay ovens are also in demand in Europe. There are two types of tandoors: stationary and portable. The second option is more compact and convenient. At any time you can move the product, give it to a neighbor for the weekend, and so on.
Portable tandoor 
Compact tandoor Despite the fact that the first ovens in the East were built from clay, today they are being replaced by the more practical brick. Therefore, our material today will be devoted to how you can build a brick tandoor with your own hands.
If you believe the legend, which is passed down from generation to generation, the first clay oven was invented by a shepherd, whose name was Tandoor. One day he saw that at night all the flowers closed their buds, and insects were hiding inside. In this simple way they protected themselves from the cold wind. The young man made a magnificent bud out of clay, only bigger. In it he prepared himself a simple dinner and lit a fire. Food from the bud turned out to be incredibly tasty and nutritious. She also stayed hot for a long time.
Subsequently, the young man became rich. He made buds from clay and sold them to everyone. In honor of the talented young shepherd, these ovens began to be called tandoors. Tandoor himself became a respected person. In fact, he was a kind of analogue of the Greek Prometheus. Only he gave people not fire, but delicious food and the opportunity to cook it at home.
According to another legend, the tandoor is attributed truly sacred significance. There is an opinion that masonry clay ovens was widespread back in the 10th century among the Sart tribe. They lived on the territory of modern Uzbekistan and worshiped fire. For the Sarts, the tandoor was the home of beautiful peris (analogous to fairies in Europe). Several centuries later, it acquired a different, now practical, meaning. By the way, the Mongols, who conquered the Sarts and took away all the inventions, were able to see in a clay structure an excellent method of cooking.
Nobody counted the number of secrets, but the fact remains: the production of a simple stove in the East is covered with many legends. For example, if you make this stove without the proper level of skill, it will burst from high temperature. They say that clay for production is always carefully sifted, like flour for dough. However, there is still no official confirmation of this.
The wool of some animals can also be added to the clay. For example, goats or sheep. After prolonged firing, it burns out and pores appear in the vessel. Also during construction, ordinary barrels made of wood or plastic are used. They hold their shape remarkably well. At the end of construction, the barrel is removed.
Of course, knowing these secrets is not enough to build a full-fledged tandoor with your own hands from brick or clay. But the fact remains: building with brick is much simpler and more affordable.
Brick tandoor However, this fact does not deprive the tandoor of its amazing qualities. Do not think that the ancient nomads always built such ovens from clay. They regularly moved from one place to another, building a stove from scrap materials. One food still turned out incredibly tasty. Tandoors are found everywhere in Armenia and Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, Mongolia and Tajikistan, and Japan. Historians still do not know the exact answer which of the two structures is older: the Russian stove or the tandoor.
By the way, the word itself is of Turkic origin, and in each country it is called differently. For Armenians it is tonir, for Tajiks it is tanur, for Georgians it is simply tone.
There are three varieties homemade stove: pit, portable and ground. Now we will consider the option of building a ground tandoor from fireclay bricks. This is due to the fact that a pit tandoor is usually used to heat rooms, while a portable one is a type of barbecue.
You will agree with the statement that any serious project must begin with comprehensive preparation. On the one hand, there is nothing difficult in building a brick tandoor, and any professional builder will tell you this. But on the other hand, you need to be properly prepared to create a durable and comfortable object.
The preparation process begins with collecting the necessary materials. There are several options for brick tandoor, but in our case, the “gentleman’s” set looks like this:
Once you have assembled the necessary set of tools, take care of the most necessary tools. Most likely, you already have them at your dacha, and if not, you can always buy more:
Your tandoor oven will be located outside. Therefore, it must have a reliable foundation and a stable structure. It is bad if the soil contains a lot of clay. In this case, you definitely cannot do without a reinforced foundation. On heavy soils, the so-called columnar foundation has proven itself to be excellent. But if the soil is light enough, it is enough to simply cast a monolithic slab.
Preparing the base of the tandoor The masonry is designed in such a way that the oven area will be approximately 100 by 100 centimeters. As you understand, this is not the most compact design, so the slab must be at least 10 centimeters thick. Approximately 15 centimeters of soil is removed around the perimeter. At the corners of the future slab, recesses of 75-90 cm with a diameter of 12-15 cm are made. When the holes are drilled, reinforcement will be required.
Without fiberglass reinforcement not enough. The structure must be filled with concrete.
To ensure the concrete has a good consistency, use sand, cement and gravel in a ratio of 3:1:1. The size of the gravel fraction should not exceed 1 cm. The result should be a solution with the consistency of thick sour cream. When pouring mortar, always focus on the foundation pit. The formwork will help you maintain the correct orientation and help avoid discrepancies in levels. The formwork is laid on the bottom, height 5 cm. The bottom is covered with sand, but the height of the layer should not be greater than the height of the formwork. Next, you need to pour water on the sand so that cavities do not appear, and begin laying the formwork for the monolithic slab. Many users ask: why is there sand in the foundation at all? IN in this case, it performs the function of a damper cushion.
DIY brick tandoor formwork is always made from roofing boards. The optimal width is 15 centimeters. The boards are buried 10 centimeters into the ground, only 5 cm rises above the ground. You need to put a reinforcing mesh on the sand. Before pouring concrete, everything is leveled again using a level.
Wait until the concrete hardens. This will take about 72 hours. If possible, we recommend increasing the waiting time to seven days. Only after this do you pick up the drawings and start laying the foundation.
Attached to cement finished arch 
laying on cement in a circle of stones 
We draw out the walls 
Level check 
Preparing the mold for the inside of the tandoor 
Filling the internal form 
Preparing clay for the inside of the tandoor 
Coating interior walls with clay 
Decorative cover for tandoor 
Decorative blower 
View inside ready tandoor 
Final drying of the tandoor 
Making bread Since you and I have to build a tandoor from brick, brick will be used as the base. But not simple, but fireclay. This is due to the fact that the temperature inside the tandoor will be incredibly high, and ordinary red blocks are not designed for such a load. But fireclay brick has excellent fire-resistant qualities. It almost does not absorb moisture and can easily withstand the weight of the tandoor.
Another undoubted advantage of tandoor is its resistance to sudden temperature changes. Therefore, it is simply ideal for constructing an outdoor stove. No cracks on frosty or hot sunny days!
The base is always made in the shape of a circle. Outline the pattern with chalk, the diameter of which should be 75 cm. All bricks are laid out in the given order. At the end of the procedure, unnecessary corners are ground down to form an ideal base. Don't forget to place the roofing felt on the concrete base. It will guarantee good sound insulation.
After this, mix the refractory mixture and apply it to the roofing material with a spatula. Consider the fact that brick base should exactly correspond to the selected height of the tandoor, and the size of the neck should be one third of the base. To assemble the rule, use a pole (height up to 100 cm, base length - 30 cm, step between given guides - 25 cm). The pattern is made of plywood; the bed slats are ideal (meaning the part on which you usually place the mattress).
Wall masonry has its own characteristics. All bricks are laid vertically. Therefore, you will need to stock up on enough mortar to provide all structural elements with sufficiently reliable fastening. Make sure that the edges of the bricks are placed as close to each other as possible. Use steel wire to tie together the first row of bricks. After fastening, the ends of the wire need to be tightly twisted and hidden in some kind of seam. In the second and third rows the procedure is repeated. When the main structure is built, plastering can begin. Use baking mixture, but remember that the thickness should be at least one centimeter.
We insulate the walls of our oven Wait for the plaster to dry. It is advisable to cover the tandoor with a film for comprehensive protection of the structure from rain and exposure to sunlight. Strong heat can be detrimental to an as yet unfinished tandoor. When the structure hardens, the surface is covered with acrylic. It is recommended to use the so-called whitewash. Armed with a broom, clean the inside of the tandoor from the dirt and build-up that has formed there.
Almost completed tandoor, only the lid remains We just figured out how to make a tandoor out of brick. Only one question remains unresolved: how to use such a stove? You need to be especially careful when igniting for the first time. Raise the temperature smoothly and gradually. Use 2/3 of all firewood, take only dry logs. Products should be loaded inside only after the firewood has completely burned out, that is, an hour after ignition. The coals are evenly distributed along the bottom. One dressing is enough for two dishes, the second will take about 2 times longer to cook. It’s easy to check the oven’s readiness. To do this, move the stick along the wall with inside. If the soot quickly disappeared and the wall became clean, the tandoor is ready for use.
A do-it-yourself tandoor made from special brick is, first of all, just a wonderful oven for preparing delicious, nutritious dishes. Your own tandoor will definitely delight you with evenly roasted meat. You don't need to twist the skewers and turn the steaks - everything happens on its own. You already know how to build a tandoor, which means you will always have incredibly tasty and very healthy bread in your home.
Accounts for public utilities are constantly growing. But if you cook in a tandoor at least sometimes, you can significantly save on electricity and gas consumption. The installation is extremely easy to operate and will not cause problems even for a beginner dealing with a brick oven for the first time.
Tandoor is a roasting oven for cooking food in the shape of a ball, dome or jug among the peoples of Asia. Distributed very widely - from the Balkan countries to China and Latin America. This is explained by the fact that the simple structure of the tandoor has been verified over centuries and worked out by many generations.
Collapse
In its modern design, the stove is made of kaolin clay (inner layer) and brick (cladding). The gap between them is filled with salt, clay or expanded clay. A hole is left in the lower part of the structure - a blower. Accumulated ash is also removed through it.
Tandoor device
Operating principle of the fryer:
The shape of the tandoor in the form of a round cavity with a narrowed neck ensures the accumulation of heat from the combustion of wood, and the thick layer fireclay clay or brick maintains the temperature for a very long time. Conditions are being created for fastest cooking food from the radiation of smoldering coals and heated walls. The food in the oven is evenly baked, remaining juicy. The heat produced in a tandoor allows you to cook several servings of food in one heating session. Often, braziers are placed in the ground, so the heat is retained for a very long time. A small amount of firewood or other fuel is consumed. IN Central Asia, which is not rich in forest reserves, cotton, camel thorn, and saxaul are used.
Classic roasting ovens have a round shape, but rectangular and square tandoors are also available.
Tandir- this is the name of a traditional stove in Uzbekistan. Uzbek flatbreads - tandir-non, puff pastries with meat - samsa are baked in it, vegetables and meat are cooked.
Construction of an Uzbek tandoor
The classic Uzbek tandoor was built from high-quality fireclay clay with the addition of chopped sheep or camel wool and sand, and consisted of a pommel installed on a stone hearth. First, an internal mold with a thickness of 40-50 mm was prepared and dried in the sun for 2-3 weeks. The outside was then covered with regular gray or white clay for additional thermal insulation.
When fired, the wool burned out, and tiny pores formed in the clay layer. This gave additional heat-protective properties to the furnace.
Sometimes the tandoor was additionally lined with fireclay bricks. A small armful of desert bushes was enough to prepare flat cakes and boil a kumgan of water.
The disadvantage of the Uzbek tandoor is that it is quite difficult for a person without pottery skills to make a clay structure. You can use a ready-made form sold in stores.
Uzbek tandoor
In Armenia the oven is called tint In addition to cooking, in ancient times it was used for heating homes, for medicinal and ritual purposes. Often one tandoor was installed on a village street for several houses. Men were not allowed to bake bread, and women, bending over the oven, bowed to the Sun. The Armenian people hold a tonir festival every year - Tonraton.
Armenian clay is not as plastic as Uzbek clay. It is difficult to obtain a round container of large diameter from it. Therefore, the tandoor was made from fireclay bricks.
It is quite possible to lay out the oven in the form of a cylinder with a diameter of 1 m independently according to the scheme:
All that remains is to carry out preliminary firing. And the Armenian tandoor is ready!
Armenian toner
The disadvantage of the Armenian tandoor is its lower heat capacity compared to the Uzbek one. This is explained by the simplified form of the design, because It is much more convenient to fashion a narrowed vessel from clay than to lay it out of brick. Some of the heat is lost, but this does not affect the taste of the finished dishes.
The advantage of toner is that it has a large internal surface area. This is convenient for baking tortillas and bread.
A pit oven is a stone or brick “bag” in the ground. Kindling is carried out through the top hole. Products for cooking are also loaded through it. The draft is supported by a pipe buried in the ground at an angle of 45°.
There are two ways to build an earthen tandoor:
Lay tiles around the opening of the pit oven and close with a lid.
Tandoor in the ground
Earthen tandoor - the oldest oven
Earthen stoves accumulate heat well. They were used in ancient times to heat homes. The disadvantages include the fact that they cannot be built at high groundwater levels, because... the structure is saturated with moisture. It is impossible to cook anything in such a tandoor.
With all the variety of shapes and designs of braziers, we can highlight the general characteristic properties of ground-based tandoors:
Dripping with meat dishes juice and fat are collected in a special bowl placed under the meat. Before baking the flatbreads, their surface is moistened with water for better adhesion of the products to the walls of the oven.
Improved rectangular tandoor
As an alternative to capital stationary ovens, lightweight portable tandoors made of fireproof fireclay clay in the form of a jug or barrel are used. Equipped with carrying handles and two-level lids.
Usually equipped with cooking utensils: skewers, hooks, grates and attachments. In portable stoves you can cook several dishes at once.
The walls of the vessel are quite thick - up to 70 mm and durable. But for greater reliability they are reinforced with steel strips.
For large companies or cafes, portable ovens with large capacity are produced. In such roasters, 8 kg of meat will be well baked in just 15 minutes.
Clay portable tandoors need protection from moisture during storage, because... clay is a hygroscopic material. Therefore, such stoves are usually equipped with covers when sold.
Mobile tandoor
Gas fryers are used in cafes, restaurants and bakeries where there is an established and officially registered supply of “blue” fuel. It is possible to install a tandoor in a home kitchen, but with mandatory exhaust air exhaust.
A clay pot is placed inside the metal body of the oven. The voids are filled thermal insulation material for long-term heat retention.
Made from baked white clay. Manufacturers sometimes add sheep wool to the raw material to achieve greater similarity with proper “natural” tandoors.
Gas tandoor stoves are easy to use, economical, and do not emit harmful substances. But the dishes lack that smoky smell for which Asian dishes are so loved.
Gas tandoor
Gas burner for tandoor
The heat sources in such stoves are heating elements located inside along the perimeter. Electrical appliances are convenient and compact, they can be used in city apartments. They do not require firewood and do not emit smoke or soot.
Electric tandoor
The design of electric fryers is very diverse, with a distinctly oriental style. The body is made of metal with a ceramic coating on the inside.
Ease of use is accompanied by a small drawback - dishes are inferior in taste to those cooked in a real tandoor.
Modern electric tandoors are equipped with minicomputers to monitor the cooking process, regulate temperature and humidity. There are models where you can use natural firewood along with electricity.
Charcoal or wood-fired braziers are closest to their ancestor - the classic tandoor. They are a thick-walled pot made of refractory clay with a lid, richly decorated with ornate oriental patterns. At the bottom there is a hole for air flow and ash removal.
Wood-burning tandoor
The tandoor is equipped with metal handles for carrying; sometimes legs are built in for secure installation on the ground.
Firewood or coals are loaded into the oven. After complete burning, start cooking. The kit often includes skewers, hooks, and ash shovels. Additionally, you can buy shelves, fish racks, and cast iron pots. Only charcoal or firewood from deciduous trees is used as fuel.
Capital structures can be small, but usually the diameter is about 1 m and the height is 1-1.2 m. These are the optimal dimensions that allow you to use the fryer most effectively.
Portable tandoor stoves are divided into 4 types:
Knowing what a tandoor is needed for, you can choose it correctly:
To cook a small amount of food, you need to purchase a small stove. There is even a desktop version. To cook several dishes at the same time, you should choose a larger oven.
Large tandoors can be loaded with a lot of firewood. This will provide more heat and the ability to cook an impressive amount of food.
Small braziers are cleared of coals after they have burned out before cooking begins. The larger ones don't need as much cleaning.
The tandoor is a unique oven in its simplicity and efficiency, capable of cooking a lot of food with a minimum amount of fuel. The dishes have an appetizing smell and unique taste. You can build the structure with your own hands or purchase it in a store. Modern fryers offered by various manufacturers will satisfy the requirements of the most demanding customers.
←Previous article Next article →The tandoor is a multifunctional oven in which you can cook any dish of oriental cuisine, using a minimum amount of fuel. The structure can be stationary or portable, made of clay or brick. Hardwood is used as fuel for the tandoor. Such a stove can be purchased ready-made or you can make a tandoor with your own hands, following certain stages of the technological process.
What is tandoor? This is a special type of roasting oven in which food is cooked due to heat transfer from the walls of the structure. The food cooks slowly as the heat is introduced gradually. Its uniform distribution helps preserve the juiciness of products and all useful qualities food.
In appearance, a tandoor looks like a large clay cauldron with holes that is turned upside down. The height of the product is 1-1.5 m, the diameter of the bottom is 1 m. The thicker the walls of the structure, the more heat the stove will give off. At the bottom of the tandoor there is a channel for feeding fresh air, which helps maintain the combustion process. The classic design has a round shape, but there are rectangular and square tandoors made of brick.
To improve the thermal insulation properties, the outside of the stove is lined with brick. The special shape of the tandoor promotes the accumulation of heat in the walls of the structure, which is slowly released inside. This helps maintain a constant high temperature inside the product for a long time.
Important! To create the optimal amount of heat in the tandoor you will need twice as much less firewood than you need for a classic barbecue.
The main advantages of tandoor are the following characteristics:
The disadvantages of the stove include:
The Uzbek tandoor in the form of a clay jug-shaped cauldron turned upside down is installed on a foundation that rises 20 cm above the ground and goes just as deep into it. The structure is predominantly located on open area yard Above the foundation there is a built-in ash pit, closed with a door. Installed above the opening cast iron grate. Next, a chamber is placed in the form of a dome with a smooth inner surface covered with a layer of clay.
The structure is covered with bricks, creating a small air gap, which is filled with salt or sand, due to which the temperature inside the tandoor remains high for six hours.
Firewood or coal is placed through the top hole. After the fuel burns out completely, the soot that covers the inner surface falls off, leaving the coating clean. This means that you can load food into the oven. Before baking, the resulting ash is removed. In the case of meat, this is not necessary. Pieces of dough are glued to the inner surface of the oven.
In a barbecue tandoor, skewers with meat are hung vertically on a special rack, point down. A cauldron with pilaf is placed on the neck of the structure. Next, the tandoor is covered with a lid on top, and the vent is closed. Cooking time depends on the dish and is 15-45 minutes.
Helpful advice! To remove baked goods from the tandoor, use a hook or ladle.
The kindling process depends on the time of year. IN winter period the temperature should gradually increase, so the wood chips are lit first, and then the main fuel is added. In summer you can do without pre-ignition. After the tandoor has cooled completely, it is recommended to completely clear it of ash. Fat deposited on the inner surface of the structure will burn off during subsequent use of the product.
A tandoor in the form of a ceramic hemisphere with a round hole can be above ground, underground or portable. The first design option is installed on flat surface horizontally or vertically depending on the orientation of the tandoor. Fuel is loaded through the side or top opening, respectively. The draft occurs through a blower located in the lower part of the furnace. According to reviews from owners, ground-type tandoor is the most popular among other options.
An earthen or pit tandoor is partially or completely submerged underground. Kindling is carried out through the top hole, which also serves to load products. To maintain the necessary traction, a pipe is connected to the bottom of the product, which is buried in the ground at an angle of 450.
Helpful advice! In stationary tandoors you can cook several dishes at the same time.
A portable tandoor can be installed anywhere. The product is made of fireclay clay in the form of a barrel or jug. Depending on the weight of the oven, tandoor comes in four types: small (up to 50 kg), medium (50-79 kg), large (80-100 kg), very large (over 100 kg). This design is additionally equipped with carrying handles and legs on which it is installed. Also included with the product are skewers, racks, hooks and attachments.
Mobile tandoors have thick walls (up to 70 mm), additionally reinforced with steel strips. For such structures it is necessary to ensure proper protection from moisture during storage, so it is recommended to purchase special covers.
Traditional tandoors use hardwood or charcoal as fuel. The product is a thick-walled pot with a lid, made of refractory clay. For air flow and ash removal, there is a special hole at the bottom of the product. Firewood is loaded through the top opening. After they are completely burned, you can start cooking. Such products are characterized by the lowest price. You can buy a tandoor from 5,500 rubles.
Helpful advice! The amount of fuel is determined by the volume of the furnace and is 2/3 of this value. Excessive use of fuel will not increase the temperature inside the tandoor.
There are tandoors that use gas as fuel. Such designs are usually used in cafes, bakeries and restaurants. You can install such a tandoor in your home kitchen, but in this case you should worry about purchasing a good hood to remove exhaust air.
The jug is made from baked white clay and is placed inside a metal body. For long-term preservation The heat voids are filled with thermal insulation material in the form of sand, fine expanded clay or salt. Gas furnaces are easy to operate, do not emit harmful substances and are economical. However, the dishes do not have the characteristic smoke smell.
For home cooking, you can purchase an electric tandoor, for which heating elements serve as the heat source. They are located around the perimeter of the lower part of the structure. These are convenient and compact products that do not require firewood and do not emit soot or smoke. The electric tandoor for flatbreads is made of metal. Inside the product has ceramic coating. The design of such braziers is varied, which allows you to choose a product for a specific interior style.
Electric tandoors are equipped with mini-computers that control the cooking process by regulating temperature and humidity. You can also buy a tandoor for barbecue and baking, where firewood can be used along with electricity.
The cost of tandoors is influenced by many factors: material of manufacture, type of firebox, design, dimensions of the product and the presence of additional accessories. The products are presented in a wide price range, so any buyer can choose an option to suit their budget.
A large family tandoor can be chosen from a number of wood-fueled household products, such as: Hunter, Nomad, Big Sarmatian and Middle. The height of the structure is in the range of 63-105 cm. Such clay products surprise with their interesting design. Broken glass, brick, natural and artificial stone are used as cladding, which allows you to create original patterns and ornaments on the surface. The average price of a tandoor is 8,500-20,000 rubles.
Electric tandoors are very popular today. Customer reviews of such products are positive. Advantage electric models is the possibility of installing them not only on the street, but also in the apartment. The structures are made of refractory clay and heated by heating elements. You can buy an electric tandoor for an average of 15,000-80,000 rubles.
To produce large quantities of bread and flatbreads, you can choose electrical products from fireclay clay in the Pro category. Such ovens are designed for preparing baked goods in quantities of 60-120 pcs. You can buy a tandoor for flatbreads from 145,000 rubles. Gas stoves are also very popular, the cost of which depends on the type of device and ranges from 75,000-135,000 rubles. You can buy an Uzbek tandoor on wood for industrial needs at a price of 50,000 rubles.
Related article:
Advantages of products, types of models, installation of the structure, recommendations for manufacturing and selection of materials for creating with your own hands.
What can you cook in a tandoor? Almost any dish. This oven is used for cooking flatbreads, samsa, vegetables, fish and various dishes from meat. It does not use open fire, but heat coming from the walls of the structure. This is ideal for obtaining the best quality baked goods. Many recipes for dishes cooked in tandoor can be found on the Internet.
Helpful advice! Before starting the first fire, the inner surface of the tandoor is lubricated with cotton-based oil. Then the oven is heated throughout the day, so that the dough cakes will not stick to the clay surface.
Flatbreads should be moistened before baking in the tandoor to ensure better adhesion of the dough to the surface. To collect fat dripping from meat dishes, a special bowl is used, which is located under the meat.
You can cook barbecue and pizza in the tandoor. However, for this you need to purchase additional element in the form of a grate, which is attached to the neck of the structure using special fasteners and lowers to the middle of the furnace. IN large tandoor You can place a pan or kettle on the grill to prepare aromatic pilaf or shurpa.
When preparing shashlik or kebab, skewers are placed in the opening of the tandoor or can be hung on a transverse iron rod. In this case, the neck is covered with a lid. The time spent preparing dishes is much less than when using a barbecue or oven. For pork or lamb it will take 18-25 minutes, for beef - 30-35 minutes, for fish and poultry - 8-15 minutes, for vegetables - 5-7 minutes.
Helpful advice! You can place a pan with tough, sinewy meat in a half-cooled tandoor and leave it until the morning. The next day, this product in any dish will melt in your mouth.
The traditional Uzbek clay tandoor is not built with your own hands, but is molded from clay. A special composition of the material is used here. You will need kaolin clay, which has good plasticity and high thermal insulation properties. To prevent the body of the tandoor from cracking under the influence of high temperatures, camel or sheep wool with a fiber length of 1-1.5 cm is added to the clay mixture. Before making a tandoor, you should prepare a molding mixture, which consists of clay, salt, sand and wool, in a ratio of 4:1:1:2.
The clay is first cleaned of foreign impurities, rubbed through a sieve, mixed and soaked for 48 hours. The remaining elements are added to the prepared substance. The mixture is thoroughly mixed until a viscous state is formed, reminiscent of the consistency of sour cream. Next, the prepared composition should be left for 7 days so that it dries and acquires the necessary condition. During this period, the mixture should be stirred periodically to ensure even drying. Any water that collects on top must be drained.
The less moisture remains in the molding composition, the lower the risk of cracking of the tandoor during firing. The mixture is suitable for further use when the consistency resembles plasticine.
The method of making a tandoor from clay is called the strip method, since the material is used to make long strips about 2-3 cm thick, 20-25 cm wide and 2 m long.
Helpful advice! The manufacture of the oven should be carried out in the shade under a canopy so that the clay does not lose its elasticity when it dries quickly under the influence of sunlight.
The prepared strips must be left to dry for some time under sun rays. Next, a bowl without a bottom is formed from them. The product is placed in a ring with smooth walls. It is recommended to use a metal barrel as a frame for forming the lower part of the product, which will need to be removed immediately. To prevent the clay from sticking to the metal, it should be lubricated with sunflower oil.
Then one or two strips need to be attached to the bottom of the product to form a part of the jug that tapers towards the top, which looks like a dome. Next, the process of compacting the walls is carried out. For this, two tools are used: a metal or wooden trowel in the shape of a disk with smooth rounded edges and a wooden spatula with embossed diagonal stripes.
You need to hold the trowel in one hand and press it against the inner surface of the product, and with outside through the clay wall you should carefully tap it with a spatula. This process helps compact the clay and form a pattern on the surface in the form of diagonal stripes.
The final stage is to form the upper part of the tandoor neck with your own hands. The oven narrows at the top. The diameter of the neck should be two times smaller than the bottom of the jug. The clay is compacted and leveled in the same way as for the main part of the tandoor.
The finished product is transferred to the shade for final drying for 30 days. After the product is completely dry, its inner surface should be lubricated with a generous layer of sunflower oil.
There are two options for installing a clay tandoor: on a foundation followed by brick lining and underground. The location for installation of the product is selected in advance.
If the finished clay insert will be located in a recess, it is necessary to prepare a foundation pit, the depth of which is determined by the height of the product. Its upper part should protrude 7-10 cm from the ground. Thus, the earth performs the function of preserving heat. An additional blower should be installed at the bottom of the tandoor.
To create a foundation, you need to dig a pit. It can be round or square in shape. This depends on the configuration of the thermal casing in the form of a brick wall around the tandoor. The second option is more preferable, since a sufficient gap is formed between the inlay and the wall, which is filled with a heat-accumulating or heat-insulating composition. The size of the pit should exceed the dimensions of the bottom part of the insert by 10-15 cm. The depth of the pit is 15-17 cm.
The pit is filled with sand in a layer of 5 cm and compacted well. Next, crushed stone of the middle fraction is added with reinforcement mesh laid, which makes it possible to obtain an additional reinforcing layer. Then formwork is performed with a height of 10-15 cm. The foundation should rise above ground level by 5-7 cm to eliminate the possibility of the masonry being washed away by storm water. A concrete solution consisting of gravel, cement and sand is poured into the formwork. The surface is leveled according to the rule. You can study the installation process in more detail in the video “Do-It-Yourself Tandoor”.
After the concrete base has completely dried, the formwork is removed. The surface is marked according to the dimensions of the clay tab for construction brick wall. First, a brick platform is made with an open area for arranging the ash chamber channel, which is closed with a special door. Can be mounted in a brick tab metal pipe. It is recommended to install a damper in it, thanks to which the amount of incoming air can be adjusted. The damper can close completely.
A cast iron grate is placed on the ash chamber, where fuel combustion occurs. The ash enters the ash pit, from which it is easily removed through the open door. A clay tab is installed on top of the grate on the platform. For reliability and sealing, the joint between the lower edge of the jug and the brick base is covered with a clay solution. Then a brick wall is erected around the entire perimeter of the tab. The gap between the structure and the tandoor is filled with expanded clay, sand or salt. The brick wall reaches the height of the insert.
The traditional version of making a tandoor from clay requires special knowledge, skills and abilities. The surface is often crooked, and the clay can subsequently crack. To avoid such troubles, a simplified technology was developed. It is based on making your own tandoor from a 200 liter barrel. The essence of the method is to create clay walls around a wooden product.
To build a tandoor with your own hands, you will need kaolin clay, vegetable oil, fine fireclay sand, a wooden barrel with iron hoops and sheep or camel's wool. The first step is to fill the barrel to the top with water for 24 hours. This is necessary for impregnation and swelling of the wood. Next, you should prepare a molding mixture of clay, sand and wool in a ratio of 2:4:1, which should dry and become plastic.
All the water is drained from the barrel. It must dry completely, after which its inner surface is soaked in sunflower oil for 24 hours. Then the inside of the barrel is covered with a clay mixture 4-5 cm thick. The composition should be well leveled, wetting your hands with water, so that the result is as smooth a surface as possible. Moving up to the neck, the layer of clay must be increased, due to which the upper part of the oven narrows. At the bottom of the structure there is a small hole for free passage of air.
The structure must dry completely in a dry, dark and ventilated place for 3-4 weeks. After this, the iron hoops are removed and the wooden barrel is dismantled, leaving the clay structure intact. The finished frame is installed on a thick sand cushion, where it is fired. To improve the thermal insulation qualities, you can make a brick wall around the stove.
The traditional version of the tandoor is made from kaolin clay. This is a rather labor-intensive and expensive process that requires the involvement of a specialist or requires high level skill. To simplify the task, but still get the desired result, you can make a tandoor with your own hands from brick. The simplest option for making a home stove consists of several processes, each of which will be described in detail in this article.
For construction you will need the following list of building materials:
To finish the stove, a solution consisting of clay, salt, sand and wool in a ratio of 4:1:1:2 is used. Sheep or camel wool acts as a reinforcing element and contributes to good thermal insulation. The mortar for laying brick rows is prepared in the same way (with the exception of wool). The brick for the tandoor should be silicate or red heat-resistant, which can withstand high temperatures for a long time.
Before building a tandoor, it is necessary to prepare the foundation. For this purpose, a round pit is prepared with a diameter several centimeters larger than the size of the future structure. A sand cushion 10 cm thick is created at the bottom, which is covered with a metal mesh made from thick wire or reinforcement rods. Next, the hole is filled with concrete mortar, which is carefully leveled using an iron rule. Be sure to check the levelness of the surface by using a level. Then the lower part of the future dome-shaped chamber is marked, defining the outer boundaries of the walls.
Helpful advice! To ensure reliable waterproofing concrete foundation must be covered with a sheet of roofing material.
Before making a tandoor yourself, a brick base is prepared on the foundation. Three rows of fireclay bricks are laid on the concrete surface: the first is placed along the pit, the second - across, the third - along. The elements of the two lower layers are laid tightly together without the use of mortar. For the top row, a clay mixture is used. The created foundation must be fixed with pieces of reinforcement on all sides. The rods are driven into the ground. Their height above the ground is equal to the mark of the top row of masonry.
After the concrete base has gained the necessary strength, you can begin to build a brick tandoor. Photos that can be found on the Internet clearly display the sequence of actions. The diameter of the bottom part will be 1 m, and the height of the structure will be 130 cm. At the first stage, markings for the future furnace are carried out. The first row of the foundation is laid with an opening for the blower chamber. Clay mortar is used for masonry. The second row covers the chamber, leaving a window in its central part, where a cast-iron grate is mounted.
Starting from the third row, the wall of the structure is erected around the circumference. The bricks are laid in the traditional way. From the inside, the surface is coated with a thick layer of clay, which should be as smooth as possible. Twelve rows are built in this way. Next, you should begin to form the tandoor dome. To do this, each subsequent row is shifted towards the center by a certain distance, which is calculated in advance.
Knowing that the diameter of the oven is 1 m, it is necessary to take into account that the neck should be twice as narrow. This value should be achieved after 10 rows, which will correspond to a structure height of 130 cm. Having performed a simple arithmetic calculation, we come to the conclusion that each subsequent row should be shifted 5 cm to the center.
In order to make a tandoor with a smooth inner surface, the edges of the bricks that will be turned inward should be processed with a grinder. The surface can also be leveled using a clay mixture, constantly moistening it with water. After completion of the masonry process, a jug-shaped structure with a smooth inner surface is obtained.
Next, the exterior of the tandoor is finished using clay mortar. All seams must be well sealed. The steps that were formed during the construction of the dome must be completely hidden. After the stove has dried, which will happen in 2-3 days, you can make the first kindling.
Then they begin to build the outer wall of the tandoor, which comes close to the brick dome-shaped structure. The height of the structure is equal to the height of the inner chamber. The wall is made whole, except for the area opposite the blower hole, where a window is left. For better thermal insulation, the space between the outer wall and the inside of the furnace is filled with fine-grained expanded clay, sand or salt.
Helpful advice! The upper part of the tandoor can be finished with stone or brick bonded with clay, which will provide a complete structure.
The previous option requires some skill to create an arched brick vault. You can build a tandoor at your dacha with your own hands using a simplified method. For this it is recommended to use old brick. As a masonry mortar, you can purchase a ready-made heat-resistant mixture at a hardware store, intended for the construction of fireplaces and stoves. To prepare the solution, you must strictly follow the instructions written on the product packaging.
According to the do-it-yourself tandoor drawing, the brick is laid in a circle, the diameter of which is determined at the planning stage. Usually it is 50-70 cm. Using a wooden frame, the brick is placed on the end, forming a circle. For installation, a sand solution can be used, which consists of fireclay clay, the necessary plasticizers and quartz sand. This composition is very plastic, sets quickly and will not crack when fired.
The first row is laid without breaks. A small hole should be left in the second row, which will be used as a blower in the future. This could be a small window with an iron door or a chimney. The third row is laid out completely. If the height of a brick tandoor is 100-120 cm, four rows of bricks are sufficient, the horizontality of each of which is controlled using a level.
When constructing each new row, it should be tied with steel wire. Its ends are twisted and hidden in the gaps between the bricks. When creating the last row, you need to form a tapering neck. For this purpose, the brick should be laid with some inclination inside the tandoor. The video shows the entire construction process in more detail.
At the end construction work The process of coating and lining the brick tandoor is carried out. To the internal and outer surface Fireproof clay is applied to the structure. The thickness of the layer is at least 1.5-2 cm. There must be at least two such layers. The second is applied 2-3 days after the first has dried. To ensure uniform drying, the structure should be covered with plastic film.
Helpful advice! It is recommended to moisten the brick before applying the coating layer. This will promote uniform and gradual drying of the clay solution.
The inner surface must be perfectly smooth, so the clay mixture is leveled by constantly wetting it with water. In the upper part of the oven, a metal ring 30-50 mm high is mounted around the hole, thanks to which the area where the lid is installed is separated from the rest of the surface. Space from her outside it is filled with clay to the edge of the wall.
Next, the stove body can be lined with natural stone, this will give the structure an attractive and aesthetic appearance, which is clearly shown in the photo of the tandoor. Price finished design will average 4500-5000 rubles.
Helpful advice! To coat the brickwork, you can use finely ground fireclay mortar.
The final stage of tandoor production is its firing, which can be performed 3-4 hours after completion of the coating and finishing work. The structure is completely filled with firewood, a fire is lit inside the stove, which gradually heats the walls of the structure to 400°C. It is necessary that the fuel burns completely, after which the stove must cool slowly. This process not only helps dry the structure, but also fires and hardens the clay.
After all work is completed, the tandoor should be left for 7 days. During this time, you can make a wooden cover, thanks to which the heat will be retained inside the structure. You can watch the process of constructing the structure in more detail in the video “Do-it-yourself tandoor made of brick.”
Since ancient times, the tandoor has served as an indispensable attribute of national Uzbek cuisine. Today it is widely used in private households. You can cook any dish in such an oven. Thanks to the special operating principle, it is possible to create not only a real masterpiece of culinary art, but also significantly save on fuel.
The structure can be made from clay or brick yourself, having mastered certain requirements, or you can buy a stove. Tandoor in specialized stores is presented in a wide range of varieties. Thanks to original finish Once finished, this traditional Uzbek stove will become a real decoration of the yard.
A tandoor is a special jug-shaped roasting pan designed for cooking food. These stoves are most common in the East. Now they are increasingly used in Europe, as they have many good qualities. They can be stationary or small, portable. Historically, a tandoor is a product made of clay, but in modern conditions it is much more convenient to build a tandoor from brick with your own hands.
The first such ovens appeared in Asia. According to legend, they were invented by a shepherd named Tandoor. He saw that tulips close at night, and insects are protected from the cold in them. The young man made a bud out of clay and began to cook food for himself in it, lighting a fire inside. The food was delicious and stayed hot for a long time. The young man became rich by making and selling tandoors. He became a respected person.
Another legend attributes sacred meaning to the tandoor. It was allegedly invented by the Sarts in the tenth century. They lived on the territory of modern Uzbekistan and were fire worshipers. They believed that the tandoor was the spiritual home of beautiful spirits - peri, an analogue of European fairies. Only many years later did it acquire practical significance. This happened when the Sarts were conquered by the Mongols, and they were able to appreciate their invention.
The making of a clay tandoor is shrouded in mystery, which is protected and passed down from generation to generation. If you make a tandoor without skill, it will crack due to high temperature. There are secrets that are known. The clay is carefully sifted, like flour for dough. Sheep or goat wool is added to the clay. After firing, it burns out, leaving pores in the vessel. During construction, a barrel is often used - wooden or plastic. She keeps her shape. It is removed after construction is completed. Knowing these secrets is not enough to do clay tandoor. At the dacha they usually build a brick one.
This does not detract from his wonderful qualities. The ancient nomads at each of their sites made stoves from whatever they could find, maintaining the principle, and the food turned out delicious. That is, initially a tandoor is a fire in a recess that saves it from the wind.
Tandoors are common in Armenia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Mongolia, and Japan. They have been used there for centuries. It is difficult to say who is older - the tandoor or the Russian stove.
Tandoor is the most famous name of this oven. The term is of Turkic origin. In Armenia they are called tonir, in India - tandur, in Tajikistan - tanur, in Georgia - tone, in Azerbaijan tandir. They all have differences, but the same principle of production and operation.
Read also: Brick for laying the furnace
In former times, this stove also served to heat the room. It is currently not recommended to use it indoors.
The construction of a tandoor, like any other business, requires preparation.
It is necessary to select and prepare a place for the stove. It should be located far from the house and plantings. An area with minimal humidity is desirable. Everything unnecessary needs to be removed from it. It must be level.
The best place for a tandoor is sandy. If there is no such place on the site, a shallow round pit is dug and filled with sand and compacted. On this site a foundation is made of brick or concrete. Can be used reinforced concrete slab. This a good option, but it increases the cost of the furnace. In addition, the slab must be laid very evenly.
The walls are laid on the finished foundation. The brick is laid on the end or in 3 rows. The first row is laid in a circle and adhered with mortar. The inner diameter of the circle is 0.5 meters. An asbestos pipe is inserted into the second row; it will serve as a blower. Internal coating is made with fireclay mortar or clay. It is more convenient to do it immediately as the next row is installed.
Grate bars are installed on the second row. A total of four rows will be required.
When the oven is laid out and dried, all joints are sealed on the outside. Cement and clay are used. When plastering, the brick should be moistened, otherwise it will take water from the solution. When this layer dries, a second one is applied - made of clay mixed with straw. It will play the role of a reinforcing and insulating wall; it is allowed to dry for three days. If it rains while the tandoor is being laid, the construction that has begun must be covered with film. At the end, the tandoor is covered with a third layer. In composition it is like the first.
The oven is ready. The lid can be made from an iron sheet by welding a handle. It will help keep you as warm as possible. You can improve the appearance of the tandoor, surround it with natural stone. They begin to use when everything is well dry.
Sometimes a brick tandoor is buried in the ground. It will be more convenient to use - there is less danger of getting burned, it is easier to lower the products. The construction principle is the same. The pit must be dug deeper, three-quarters of the height of the furnace. The pipe for the blower should be longer, it is led out. Savings on exterior decoration, it will only be needed for the part coming out of the ground.
Read also: Brick for laying the furnace
It is profitable to build a brick tandoor yourself, since the work of a master will be very expensive. The simplified construction itself is not difficult, it can be carried out by anyone whose hands are not rooted to their pockets.
Of course, these are not the only ways to build such a furnace. There is, for example, a horizontal tandoor, which is easy to use. It can also be built from bricks. In such ovens, dishes are mainly prepared on a baking sheet. Outwardly, they resemble a Russian stove, but without a chimney.
The first ignition must be carried out carefully. The temperature must be raised gradually. Firewood is placed in two thirds of the tandoor; it must be dry. They set them on fire through the ash pit. Products are loaded into the oven when the wood has burned out, about an hour after ignition. The coals should be evenly distributed over the bottom of the oven. One dressing is enough to cook two dishes, and the second one will take twice as long to cook.
If the tandoor needs to be used again, it can be warmed up to operating temperature much faster than when first ignited.
It's easy to check if it's ready for use. You need to run the stick along the wall inside. If the soot disappears and the wall becomes clean, the oven is ready for use.
The degree of toasting can be adjusted by supplying air to the tandoor through a vent or lid.
The coals must smolder without burning, so the vent is not closed after heating. To avoid unnecessary traction, open the lid at the same time.
Do not pour water over the tandoor to cool it down. It will give irreparable cracks. It should cool down on its own, naturally.
We must remember that when ignited, the height of the flame above the stove can reach one and a half meters. The temperature inside reaches 480 degrees, the outer walls also heat up. Children should not be near, everyone should behave carefully to avoid burns.
We should not forget about fire safety.
Cooking in tandoor is becoming more and more popular. What contributes to this?
The flame does not blow out, the heat is long and uniform.
Cooking is similar to oven cooking. They are not formed in food during cooking. harmful substances. Even the kebab turns out to be dietary.
Tandoor - an oriental oven in the shape of a jug, which can successfully replace both a barbecue and a stove open air. You can cook many oriental dishes in the tandoor: shish kebab, pilaf, flatbreads and samsa, baked meat and fish.
Traditional tandoor originally from Central Asia, he was sculpted made of refractory clay, dried in the sun and annealed on saxaul firewood. It is almost impossible to reproduce this technology in mid-latitude conditions: drying clay requires special conditions with low humidity and a certain light spectrum.
In a desert climate, such a regime can be created without much difficulty outdoors: the hot sun evaporates moisture, heats the clay to 70 degrees, and the dust constantly contained in the air acts as a kind of filter for UV rays. As a result, the tandoor dries without the formation of internal stresses, and during annealing it remains intact even with large wall thicknesses.
Clay that is dried under normal conditions quickly becomes crusty, remaining moist inside. As a result. when trying to burn. its internal moisture suddenly escapes, forming cracks. That's why It is impossible to make a ceramic tandoor with your own hands in our latitudes, even in the presence of good fireclay clay.
That's why craftsmen , having decided to build a tandoor on the site with your own hands, pay attention to its closest relative - the Armenian tonir. He made of fireclay bricks and has thicker walls, which allows it to retain heat longer. Of course, the toner takes longer to warm up, but, unlike Central Asia, there is no shortage of firewood in mid-latitudes.
Building a brick tandoor with your own hands is quite simple - the laying technology is simple, and the materials necessary for it are available and sold in construction stores. detailed instructions and photos are shown below.
You will learn what types of wood-burning stoves there are and how to build them yourself.
What are the advantages brick oven with a water circuit, as well as what design features it has, you can find out.
We tell you how to quickly make a smokehouse for cold smoking at home and on the go.
Unlike the usual barbecue, the tandoor is a universal design, so to make it yourself you will need different materials.
Construction of a brick tandoor oven takes several weeks. Since the stove, like the barbecue, is placed outside, it is better to choose the warm summer months for work, since You can work with masonry mortar only at above-zero temperatures.
An important stage in the construction of a tandoor oven is the construction of a solid foundation. The foundation is necessary to prevent destruction of the masonry during seasonal soil movements. It can be made from a ready-made concrete slab, but more often the foundation is poured in the ground according to the size of the future furnace.
While the foundation of the furnace dries and gains strength, you can start preparing a template according to which the masonry will be carried out. Since the brick is laid out in a circle, without a template it will be difficult to maintain the same radius everywhere.
To manufacture it, it is necessary to make calculations and drawings, since the convenience of masonry will depend on the correct execution of the template. The main condition is that the distance between the levels of the template must correspond to the height of the brick row.
The tandoor is made of bricks placed on a short edge. In this case, the height of the row will be 26 cm, taking into account the masonry seam. Thus, it is advisable to make the height of the straight part of the tandoor 2 rows or 52 cm, after which the narrowing of its arch begins, the height being equal to two more rows. You can make a template from a block and boards or from plywood.
It is necessary to maintain a right angle in its lower part so that the walls of the oven are even around the entire circumference!You can lay out a tandoor with your own hands over the weekend if you prepare everything in advance necessary materials and tool. To create a vault, part of the brick will need to be trimmed, so you will need a grinder with a stone circle. Also for masonry you need a trowel, a hammer with a rubber head and a level. You will need two containers: for mixing the clay mortar and for the water in which the bricks are dipped.
A tandoor, made with your own hands from one row of fireclay bricks, although it has good heat capacity, to improve this characteristic it is additionally coated with clay mortar on the outside, and if you plan to bake pita bread or flatbread on its walls, then on the inside.
For finishing use ordinary masonry mortar, but kneaded to a thick state, with a consistency reminiscent of plasticine. For plasticity, table salt is added to it.
Before coating brickwork moisturize spraying from a spray bottle. The solution is applied in a layer not exceeding 1 cm; a thicker layer may crack when fired in the stove. The neck is also coated, making roundings. To make the stove decorative, you can line it on the outside with mosaics or natural stone, as in the photo.
Drying the finished tandoor is done in the same way as after laying, for at least two weeks. After initial drying, the finished stove begins to be heated, first with paper, dry wood shavings or wood chips, adding fuel in small portions until the walls are moderately heated. After each fire, it is cooled, and the next day it is fired again. The oven is dried in this way for two weeks.
Firing is carried out after the initial heating. For firing, hardwood firewood is prepared, which burns to form a large amount of coal. It is advisable to use apple, cherry or other fruit trees- they smolder longer than they burn, without crumbling into ash.
They lay the first batch of firewood at a quarter of the height of the stove, set it on fire and wait for coals to form, after which they add the next one - this is how the tandoor is filled with coals by about 2/3. After the flames disappear and a large mass of smoldering coals forms, close the tandoor with a lid and leave until it cools completely.
Remove the resulting ash from it, sweep the inner walls with a soft brush - and the tandoor is ready for use as a barbecue or.
When firing a tandoor, you need to be careful and take fire precautions, as the temperature in the firebox can be very high!
Dishes cooked in the tandoor are distinguished by their juicy and rich taste. Moreover, you can cook several dishes in it at once. To facilitate their placement in the tandoor, it can be equipped with various devices.
Unlike a barbecue, in a tandoor, shish kebab and lula kebab are fried not horizontally, but vertically. In this case, the juice flows not onto the coals, but onto the lower pieces, soaking the meat and making it tender and juicy. To secure the skewers conveniently and securely, you can place a rod on the neck, onto which the skewer is put on by the rings. But it’s more convenient to make a special lid with slots and a hole for the cauldron. It is made from sheet iron according to the size of the neck, as shown in the photo.
To cook pilaf, stewed meat, fish or vegetables in a cauldron, and at the same time remove smoke from the oven, you can provide holes in the lid.
The tandoor can be used not only as a barbecue, but also as an oven for simmering dishes. It makes excellent daily cabbage soup, vegetable stew, stew. In order to place a saucepan or cast iron inside the tandoor, and then easily take it out, you can make a grate on brackets, as in the photo.
Tandoor made of bricks summer cottage will also replace the oven for lavash. Installing it yourself will not take much time and will allow you to enjoy amazing and aromatic oriental dishes with family and friends.
