Tanoor

A cylindrical clay oven, often set partially into the ground, used to bake flatbread against its hot interior walls and to slow-roast meat suspended within.

Material & Construction

Fired clay, sometimes reinforced with a metal exterior casing in modern versions; interior walls reach very high temperatures from a fire built at the base.

Traditional Uses

Baking bread slapped directly onto the hot interior wall; roasting meat and kebabs suspended over the coals within the same oven.

Modern Availability / Equivalents

Modern gas- or electric-heated versions exist for restaurant use; home cooks without access to a tanoor commonly substitute a very hot conventional oven with a baking stone, though the direct-wall-contact baking method cannot be fully replicated.

Care & Maintenance

Requires periodic reseasoning of the clay interior; professional versions need regular ash removal and structural inspection given the high, sustained heat.

Closely related to the South Asian tandoor, sharing a common etymological and technical lineage, with regional variation in construction and specific use.