11 Traditional Cooking Methods India Is Rediscovering

7. Traditional smoking techniques (dhungar, smoke infusion)

Dhungar is a quick smoke-infusion technique where hot charcoal and a little ghee add a smoky aroma to a finished dish, and cooks use it to finish dals, gravies, and even desserts. The method is flexible: a small piece of charcoal heated until red-hot is placed in a bowl inside the pot, then covered so the smoke infuses the food briefly. My aunt used dhungar to give our simplest tadka that unmistakable campfire whisper, and it became the secret of many weekday meals. Modern chefs adapt dhungar for vegetarian dishes and show how measured smoke can deepen flavors without overpowering them (The Hans India, 2025). If you try dhungar at home, perform it in a well-ventilated area, and use a spoon to keep the charcoal on foil so ash does not contaminate the food. A smoking gun or small indoor smoking kit is a safer substitute for cooks who wish to avoid open charcoal.