Punjab. Kundan Lal Gujral standardised and popularised tandoori chicken at his Moti Mahal restaurant in Delhi after Partition in 1947, when he relocated from Peshawar. The tandoor (clay oven) and the technique pre-date his restaurant, but his preparation became the modern standard.
Tandoori chicken is the ancestor of butter chicken — marinated in yoghurt and Kashmiri chilli, cooked on skewers in a tandoor at 480-500C until charred at the surface and just cooked through. The tandoor imparts a smoke and char that no oven can fully replicate, but a very hot grill or oven (250C+) produces a close approximation. The chicken should have visible char, a juicy interior, and the characteristic brick-red colour of Kashmiri chilli.
- Persian joojeh kabab (saffron and lemon grilled chicken — the Persian ancestor of tandoor grilling); Turkish tavuk shish (yoghurt-marinated chicken skewers on charcoal — the Anatolian parallel); Moroccan chicken chermoula (herb-marinated grilled chicken — North African parallel).
Kingfisher Premium lager — cold, effervescent, and mild enough to complement rather than compete with the charred spiced chicken. For a wine approach: Pinot Noir from New Zealand (Central Otago) or an Aussie Grenache from the Barossa.