Why is Tandoori Chicken Red? Uncovering the Science and History Behind This Iconic Indian Dish

One of the most well-known Indian dishes in the world is tandoori chicken. It’s a standard at Indian restaurants around the world and is known for its bright red color and smoky, charred taste. And finally, have you ever thought about why tandoori chicken is red?

The bright red color of tandoori chicken comes mostly from two things: the spice rub that has red Kashmiri chilies and paprika in it. Let’s look at the history and science behind this famous dish to find out how it gets its color.

A Brief History of Tandoori Chicken

But tandoori chicken as we know it today started in Delhi in the middle of the 20th century. Tandoori dishes have been around for hundreds of years in India. Kundan Lal Gujral opened a restaurant in Delhi in the 1920s called Moti Mahal and came up with the idea.

It is said that one night at Moti Mahal, the tandoor oven wasn’t hot enough to cook the naan the right way. To save food, the chef tried marinating chicken pieces and cooking them in the cooler tandoor. The food turned out so well that tandoori chicken was added to the menu, and the rest is history.

Initially the chicken was marinated with mild spices that gave it a light yellow color. It wasn’t the vibrant red we see today. The iconic red color was a later addition possibly to make the dish more visually striking.

Where Does the Red Color Come From?

The red color of tandoori chicken mainly comes from two ingredients used in the marinade – Kashmiri red chiles and paprika/red chili powder. Let’s look at each of these:

Kashmiri Red Chiles

These dried chiles are a key ingredient in traditional tandoori chicken recipes. Kashmiri chiles come from the Kashmir region in northern India known for producing these deep red chiles.

The vibrant red color of Kashmiri chiles is due to a pigment called capxanthin. When the chiles are dried and ground into a powder, this red pigment permeates the chicken meat, giving it that rich red tone.

However, powdered Kashmiri chiles alone don’t impart a bright enough red They give a more muted, orangey-red color To get that really vibrant crimson, another ingredient is needed – paprika.

Paprika/Red Chili Powder

Paprika is made from grinding dried sweet red peppers. The red pigments from paprika help amplify and brighten the redness imparted by the Kashmiri chile powder.

Traditionally, only a mild paprika was used in tandoori rubs, which lent a delicate redness. But modern recipes often use a bolder, brighter paprika or even red food coloring to amp up the red tones.

So the combination of Kashmiri chiles for that deep red baseline and paprika for brighter scarlet tones is what gives tandoori chicken its iconic fiery hue.

The Science Behind the Redness

The natural pigments that give Kashmiri chiles and paprika their red color belong to a class of antioxidant compounds called carotenoids.

The specific carotenoids responsible for the red tones are capsanthin (in Kashmiri chiles) and capsanthin, capsorubin (in paprika). They are fat-soluble compounds, so they easily penetrate the chicken’s skin and flesh when marinated in oil and yogurt.

When exposed to heat from the tandoor oven, these carotenoids undergo chemical changes that intensify their redness. The high temperature helps break down the pigment molecules and spread the redness throughout the meat.

• Kashmiri chiles contain the red carotenoid capsanthin

• Paprika contains capsanthin and capsorubin

• These fat-soluble pigments are carried into the chicken via oily marinades

• High heat from the tandoor makes the pigments brighter and more spread out

This combination of ingredients and cooking techniques is what gives tandoori its iconic scarlet color. Pretty cool science!

Why Are Artificial Colors Added?

Many modern tandoori chicken recipes use artificial food colors to enhance the redness. Why is that?

While natural Kashmiri chiles and paprika can impart a strong red tone, it’s not always as vibrant as the restaurant version. Some chefs add a bit of artificial food coloring to brighten up the red.

The most common one used is Red Dye #40 (Allura Red AC). It provides a cheap and easy way to amp up the visual appeal. A dash of red dye makes the chicken look neon red instead of the more muted natural tone.

However, there are some health concerns around artificial food dyes like Red #40. Natural food advocates argue that the natural ingredients should provide enough redness without artificial additives.

So while added red dye provides visual appeal, it comes at the cost of using natural ingredients. It’s a matter of preference and philosophy.

Regional Variations in Color and Spices

While red is the most common color, tandoori chicken recipes across India use various spice blends that result in different shades.

In Punjab, recipes tend to be redder due to abundant use of Kashmiri chiles and paprika. In the south, flavors like curry leaves and coriander lend a more yellow tone. Parts of North India give a whitish tandoori chicken due to spices like chaat masala and the use of unripe green papaya.

So while red is the most popular in restaurants worldwide, regional recipes do vary greatly in spices, ingredients and color. The red isn’t as dominant in traditional home-cooked versions.

The quintessential red color of tandoori chicken comes from the Kashmiri chiles and paprika in the classic north Indian marinade recipe. The natural red carotenoid pigments penetrate the meat and get intensified by the high heat from the tandoor oven.

While artificial red dye is sometimes added for visual impact, traditional recipes rely solely on those vibrant natural spices for both flavor and color.

The next time you savor perfectly roasted tandoori chicken, you’ll have a deeper appreciation for the chemistry and history behind its striking red color. It’s a fantastic example of how cooking methods, spice blends and food chemistry combine to create an iconic dish.