Grilled meats in India

Tandoori Shikhari Tangdi, Khiva, Pune. 

Among my favorite South Asian delicacies are the grilled meats. Kebabs or Tandoori chicken (and other variants of fish or lamb) are meats marinated with a special marinade (yogurt mixed with spices) for hours and then grilled in a clay oven. Kebabs may consist of whole or ground meat.

You will find variations of these preparations in several South Asian or Middle Eastern cuisines including Pakistani, Afghani, Indian, or Turkish among others.

Kebab Platter, Mehak Tandoor Works, Goa. 

During my recent trip to India, I tried several versions of Tandoori chicken and kebabs in several restaurants. In my opinion, restaurants generally do a better job with it mainly due to access to a large clay oven which makes preparation easier than at home.

It is protein rich. Those not very fond of spicy food can enjoy the subtlety of spices in this grilled version more than in the curry. Sometimes, depending on the cuisine, you can combine the meal with a side of bread (naan) or just a salad. Veggie lovers are also presented with several vegetables grilled in a similar fashion which use the same marinades.