Patak’s tandoori paste has been around forever. It is the reference tandoori paste all around the world. Spicy. Tart. Red. It’s a backyard BBQ staple.
Except that you can’t get it in the UK anymore. And if you can’t get it in the UK it won’t be long until you can’t get it anywhere else. Which is alarming. At least to me.
So when I heard, I decided to do something about it. I thought about a protest march. Outside the Patak UK office. Tens of thousands of tandoori and tikka lovers descending. They wouldn’t know what hit them. Epic.
But that’s a little over the top. Even for tandoori paste. So I did the next best thing. I figured out the recipe. And I’m sharing it here.
Mix together salt, cayenne, coriander, chili powder, garlic powder, dry mustard, ginger, turmeric, fennel, cumin, and paprika in a food processor. Add lime juice and yogurt when ready to make a paste; store in refrigerator. You can use it as a rub or marinade.
It also takes an oddball ingredient
Patak’s tandoori paste is tart. Mouth puckering tart. Seriously tart. It’s not tamarind that does it. It’s not vinegar either. Both those are totally wrong.
It’s citric acid. Not a common ingredient. But it’s absolutely the right one.
Citric acid powder specifically. It goes by citric acid. Or lemon salt. Or sour salt. But the ingredients on the label are what will guide you. It needs to say citric acid there.
It’s not bad for you. So don’t worry about it. If you have extra, it’s great in homemade tonic. One for the gin drinkers.
Tandoori paste takes a few simple ingredients
It doesn’t take a lot to make Patak’s copycat tandoori paste. Three simple ingredients.
The number one ingredient listed is ginger. So start with ginger paste. Just toss some ginger into a blender with some water and puree.
This isn’t a bad thing to add to your arsenal anyway. For times when you don’t want the garlic in homemade ginger garlic paste.
There’s a lot of tamarind flavour in Patak’s version. Tamarind paste works well. You don’t want a sweetened tamarind sauce.
Look for the least amount of ingredients on the jar. Ideally you should see tamarind and water. Nothing else.
Tandoori masala gives you all the spices in one place. And the benefit of food colouring if that’s your thing. Everybody wants reddish orange tandoori chicken. Two birds. One stone.
Watch out for the salt in the masala. Some are saltier than others. Probably not that big a deal as this is used in marinades though. Not like it’s all getting into the final dish.
How to Make a Simple & Delicious (Tandoori Marinade) Paste
FAQ
What is a substitute for tandoori paste?
What is tandoori mix made of?
What is the difference between tikka paste and tandoori paste?
What does tandoori sauce contain?
How to make tandoori paste?
Step 1. Homemade tandoori paste is very simple to make. It is as easy as blending in a food processor until it forms a paste. To make tandoori paste in a Thermomix add all the ingredients to the mixer; mix 20 sec/speed 5. Scrape and repeat until finely chopped into a paste. You can use whole cumin seeds and coriander seeds if you prefer.
How long does tandoori paste last?
Transfer the paste into a clean jar or another storage container. If not using right away, add a thin layer of oil on top to preserve it. Store the paste in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to 3 months. How to make Homemade Basic Tandoori Paste – a great recipe⭐to make from these 12 ingredients, with 10 minutes to prepare.
Is tandoori paste bright red?
The colour of this tandoori marinade or tandoori paste recipe is not bright red – if you really want it bright red like you get ‘down at the local Indian’ then you’ll need to add food colouring or beetroot. I don’t but I’m just letting you know. The chilli powder and saffron will add some colour to the tandoori paste.
What is tandoori paste used for?
Tandoori paste is a really popular Indian marinade . It is mostly commonly used in a chicken dish (chicken tikka masala), but of course it’s the perfect marinade for veggie dishes too. Vegetarians could coat halloumi in it before crisping it on the BBQ and vegans can use it to marinade tofu before grilling it.