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Playing with fire

Oregonlive.com
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
By Cole Danehower

When Chef David Machado opened his Vindalho restaurant featuring what he calls "Spice Route Cuisine," he merged tradition with modern technology, with two high-tech, high-heat tandoor ovens as a key feature. An update of the classic design, Machado's tandoors employ a sophisticated ceramic lining instead of clay; fired by gas, they achieve evenly sustained temperatures of nearly 800 degrees.

Although Machado was thoroughly experienced with high-heat wood ovens (he installed some of Portland's earliest examples), it took rigorous testing to learn how to cook with these modern tandoors. "The thing I understand now is that success relies on a harmony between the marinade and the heat," he says. Marinate ingredients for too long, or cook them at too low a temperature, and the food will be flabby; marinate too little or cook too high, and the food will be tough.

In the end, Machado found he needed two ovens: one to cook bread (Indian nan) at 530 degrees and the other to cook meats at 750 degrees.

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