The Clay Oven Called Tandoor

A tandoor is a clay oven often buried below ground.

The large vase-shaped clay oven bakes bread across South Asia.

An internal charcoal fire cooks food with direct heat and smoke.

Hairline cracks form during first use to let clay breathe.

Armenians call their underground version a tonir and bake lavash inside.

Turkmen families bake white bread called çörek in a tamdyr oven.

Georgian bakers line the tone interior with fireproof bricks before baking.

A chef sticks flattened dough directly to the hot inside wall.

Tandoori chicken gets its red color from cayenne pepper or food coloring.

Armenians sometimes cook eggplants in the tonir—no meat required.

Cooked naan bread emerges from the tandoor ready to eat.