I am not talking about Tandoori Chicken, but the piece of material that is used for covering the bread (roti). (Called Dastar Khuwan in Farsi/Urdu) It is woven cotton (about 2ft by 2ft) and is printed in vibrant colors. I think (althought not very sure) the origins of it probably predate the arrival of Islamic conquerors in India, but recently I came across a Tandoori with Arabic Verses written on it, mainly about Hospitality and how honorable it is to have guests in the house. It is a beautiful Tandoori. On my last visit to Pakistan, I brought back about 2 dozens of them and now I proudly display them in my office and I have given away a few to those who admire the design and art. I love Tandooris.
Does anyone have any info on the origins of Tandoori? I have seen folks from some other cultures but the Cloth they use to keep bread is dull and colorless, and I think only the people of the Indian sub-Continent use colorful Tandooris. I could be wrong, but if you have any info, please share.
You know Akif Yaar….I have relatives who live in Abdullahpur and I could see the Sitara Mill (that is adjacent to their house) from their rooftop. And see the workers paint long long Thans of Cotton. It was a silk screen printing method. They would work so efficiently and fast that it was mind-boggling. You could be right that they introduced it, but it is also widely found in all parts of India as well. I have seen some nice designs in Indian houses.
I know what you are talking about, I am Yemeni and we have those all over Yemen. When I was in Yemen they have all sorts of them and they make them in many colors. If you’d go to Yemen you would see many “Desi” things there and many things writen in Urdu and also in Hindi. We use the word ‘roti’ for bread but other Arabs dont, and many people have a Tandoor in their homes in Yemen, I think its great, the Tandoor that is.
Ahhh.. I'm reminded of Malaka BB, our neighbourhood bhatyaaran.. many a time I went to her to get what she was cooking but I was always told my Tandoori wasn't big enough.
Interesting, in saraike, we call it 'rotian 'ala roomal' . There's no particular word/phrase such as 'tandoori' to describe the piece of cloth which is often used to pack rotis after they come out of tanoor.
Tandoori?? when the hell did they switch name on this one? I have always known it as pona or/ponaN.
NYA: I hope you are not using that, checkered piece that Sheikhs wear, to cover your fresh and rising bread? and that too in your office. sick sick man...that you are.
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Originally posted by ChannMahi:
*Tandoori?? when the hell did they switch name on this one? I have always known it as pona or/ponaN.
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Roti basket is a "chaabba", and yes, 'pona' is the commonly used word for the cloth. Tandoori, i guess originates from the fact that folks usually take along a pona to the tandoor, when buying bread, and place the tandoori nan on the pona, tie opposite ends of the pona on top, and off you go. So it becomes a 'tandoori'. Sometimes, the tandoor ala also places the main page of roznama jang on the pona before wrapping the nan. They dont use page 4, coz thats the filmi safha, with fotus of anjuman.
I know the term Pona, but in my part of Punjab, it goes by the name Tandoori. The woman who runs the Tandoor is called “MaCHan (or MaCHani with love)”, if she ask you to give her your Pona, she doesn’t mean your Tandoori by that. Hayat Bi was the MaCHan in my village (she passed away a few years ago), man, the Rootis she made.. I am kinda surprised that Channji has not heard of the term Tandoori before. He has a lot of learning to do! He calls himself Punjabi.
Abdullah Yaara, “Rrotian 'ala roomal”?? man, you Saraike guys are too slow (I mean descriptive). What do you call a Bicycle? “Dou PahiooN wali Sawari”?
Man, pona almost sounds too perverse like poonani or something. I am not sure where do all these punjabis come up with such terms. That has definitely something to do with machans and nangi fotos.
We saraikees like things in a simple and sweet manner. Roomal is just a roomal, you don't have to teach another person a new list of vocabulary if you are giving it to them to bring rotis ..it should be just straight forward.
[This message has been edited by Abdullah k (edited March 28, 2002).]