Tandoori cooking is the art of cooking marinated meat, fish, vegetables and bread in a tandoor, a cylindrical clay oven that reaches far higher temperatures than a domestic oven. The fierce heat chars the outside while keeping the inside juicy, which is why dishes from the tandoor taste smoky, bold and fresh. Here is how it works, and what to order from the clay oven at our restaurant in Fulham.
At a glance
- Our "From Tandoor" section runs from £11 (Achari Broccoli, Malabari Paneer Tikka) to £19 (Lamb Chops)
- Breads from £3 (Butter Naan, Tandoori Roti)
- Lamb Chops and Methi Malai Chicken Tikka both feature on the £68 tasting menu
- Tandoor dishes are also on the early dinner and weekend set lunch
- Open weekdays from 5.30pm, Saturday and Sunday from 1pm
What is a tandoor?
A tandoor is a clay oven, traditionally shaped like a large urn or bell and heated by charcoal or wood at its base. The thick clay walls absorb and radiate heat, so food is cooked three ways at once: by direct heat from the coals, by heat radiating from the walls, and by hot air circulating inside.
Ovens of this kind have been used across Central and South Asia for a very long time. In India, tandoor cooking is most closely associated with Punjab, and many of the dishes Britain knows best, from chicken tikka to naan, come from that tradition.
Why does tandoori food taste so different?
Heat is the secret. A tandoor runs far hotter than a home oven, so the surface of the food sears and chars almost immediately. Juices drip on to the coals and rise again as smoke, adding a subtle flavour you cannot easily recreate at home. Because cooking is fast, meat and fish stay moist inside.
That speed also means timing matters enormously. A minute too long and a prawn toughens or a tikka dries out. Good tandoor cooking looks simple on the plate, but it relies on careful judgement from the cook.
What goes into a tandoori marinade?
Most tandoori marinades follow a similar logic, even though the spices change from dish to dish:
- Yoghurt or cream to tenderise and carry the spices, and to help the surface colour and char.
- Acid, often lemon or lime, to brighten the flavour.
- Ginger and garlic as the aromatic base.
- Spices such as chilli, cumin, coriander, garam masala, cardamom or mace.
- Time, often several hours, so the flavour reaches beyond the surface.
You can see those principles on our menu. The Methi Malai Chicken Tikka (£12) is marinated in cream, fenugreek leaves, cardamom and mace, giving a gentle, fragrant result. The Malabari Paneer Tikka (£11) uses yoghurt, curry leaves, mustard and red chilli, and is stuffed with sultanas.
What can you order from our tandoor?
The "From Tandoor" section of our à la carte menu covers meat, seafood and vegetables:
| Dish | Price | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Achari Broccoli | £11 | Pickling spices, smoked sweet chilli yoghurt, toasted almond flakes |
| Malabari Paneer Tikka | £11 | Cottage cheese in yoghurt, curry leaves, mustard, red chilli, stuffed with sultanas |
| Methi Malai Chicken Tikka | £12 | Cream, fenugreek leaves, cardamom and mace |
| Seekh Kebab (spicy) | £14 | Fine minced lamb with aromatic spices and fresh coriander |
| Dill & Pink Peppercorn Salmon | £15 | Fennel, beetroot salad, coriander chutney |
| Tandoori Prawn (2pcs) | £16 | Jumbo prawns in chilli and kasundi mustard, brown butter, chilli coriander sauce |
| Shichimi Chilli Tandoori Chicken (spicy) | £18 | Fresh kachumber salad, green chutney |
| Lamb Chops (2pcs) | £19 | French-trimmed rack of lamb, carrot and raw papaya salad |
The Shichimi Chilli Tandoori Chicken is a good example of modern thinking: shichimi is a Japanese seven-spice blend, used here alongside a classic Indian clay-oven method. If you want a little of everything, the Sharing Board (£20) brings basil chicken tikka, seekh kebab, tandoori paneer and vegetables, chilli fried squid, spinach salad and curried cashew nut.
Can vegetarians enjoy tandoori cooking?
Absolutely. Paneer holds its shape beautifully in the heat and takes on a lovely char, while vegetables such as broccoli become smoky and tender. Our Achari Broccoli (£11) uses pickling spices, the same flavours found in Indian achar, finished with smoked sweet chilli yoghurt and almonds. Our guide to vegetarian dining covers the rest of the meat-free menu.
Which breads are cooked in a tandoor?
Bread is central to tandoor cooking. Traditionally, dough is slapped against the hot inner wall of the oven, where it puffs and blisters in moments before being lifted out on a long hook. Naan, made with a soft, enriched dough, and roti, a simpler wholewheat bread, are the classic tandoor breads.
Our breads include Butter Naan (£3), Naan with garlic or chilli coriander (£3), Tandoori Roti (£3), and the stuffed breads: Peshawari Naan with coconut, cashew nut and cream, Kheema Naan filled with minced lamb, and Cheese Naan (all £4). A Laccha Paratha (£4) offers flaky layers. Any of them is ideal for scooping up a slow-cooked dal makhani.
How does the tandoor feature in curries and mains?
The clay oven is not just for starters. Our Butter Chicken (£16) begins with tandoori chicken breast before it meets the rich, creamy butter and tomato sauce, and the Chicken Tikka Masala (£16) is built on chicken tikka. The Kadai Style Chicken (£16) tosses chicken tikka with onion, peppers, tomato and crushed coriander seeds. Among the mains, the Tandoori Duck (£22) brings Barbary duck breast in a blend of whole spices with potato turnip rosti and a citrus chilli coriander jus, a dish we discuss in our piece on Indian fine dining in London.
Which tandoori dishes should you try first?
If you are new to our menu, start with the Methi Malai Chicken Tikka, one of the dishes The Infatuation highlighted in its review, or the Lamb Chops. Both appear on Chef Shilpa's tasting menu (£68 per person), so you can also try them as part of the full experience. Tandoor dishes also feature on the early dinner and the weekend set lunch.
Whatever you order, the things we think any authentic Indian restaurant in Fulham should get right are the same: fresh ingredients, patient marinades and close attention at the oven.
Visit our tandoor restaurant in Fulham
Tandoori dishes are at their best seconds out of the oven, so they are well worth eating in. Find us at 67 Fulham High Street, close to Putney Bridge station; full directions and hours are on our visit page. To secure your table, book online, or order online for collection and delivery.
Frequently asked questions
What does tandoori mean?
Tandoori describes food cooked in a tandoor, a cylindrical clay oven heated by charcoal or wood. The intense heat chars the outside of the food while keeping the inside moist.
Is tandoori food spicy?
Not always. Some tandoori dishes are mild and fragrant, like our Methi Malai Chicken Tikka with cream, fenugreek, cardamom and mace, while others, such as the Seekh Kebab and Shichimi Chilli Tandoori Chicken, are marked as spicy on our menu.
Are there vegetarian tandoori dishes?
Yes. Our tandoor section includes Achari Broccoli and Malabari Paneer Tikka, both £11. Please tell our team about any allergies, as allergens are marked on every menu.
How much are the tandoori lamb chops?
Our Lamb Chops (2 pieces) are £19 on the à la carte menu, served with carrot and raw papaya salad. They also feature on the £68 tasting menu.
Book a table at Pure Indian Cooking
67 Fulham High Street, London SW6 3JJ · 020 7736 2521
