Tandyr

A cylindrical clay oven closely related to the Middle Eastern tanoor and South Asian tandoor, used specifically for baking non (Central Asian flatbread) and samsa (baked filled pastries).

Material & Construction

Fired clay, often set into a fixed outdoor structure rather than a portable vessel, with a fire built at the base heating the interior walls.

Traditional Uses

Baking non bread, slapped onto the hot interior wall to bake, and samsa, typically placed on the walls or a rack within.

Modern Availability / Equivalents

Modern gas-heated versions exist for restaurant and bakery use; home bakers without access to a tandyr commonly substitute a very hot conventional oven with a baking stone.

Care & Maintenance

Requires periodic reseasoning and structural maintenance given the sustained high heat; typically a fixed, semi-permanent installation rather than a piece of movable cookware.

The Middle Eastern tanoor, South Asian tandoor and Central Asian tandyr are three closely related regional oven traditions sharing a common lineage.