After few years this technique fell over at right place where in instead of digging a hole all together they used whole pot with a curry full of it and use to place a small bowl in the middle which should float on the top and in that bowl they use to place this burning charcoals and whole spices then from the top they use to pour the ghee and then use to put the lid eventually this became a trend in modern Indian cuisine . But this technique seems to be lost now because chefs in India hesitate to use this technique as they think the actual flavor after using this technique seems to be lost.
Here is a brief way how this technique actually works.
The Dhungar Method of Smoking
You will need:
- 1 onion, peeled and the center hollowed out
- 1 small piece (about 2 inches) of natural lump charcoal
- 1/4 teaspoon clarified butter or ghee which can also be mixed with some whole spices lightly ground, if desired
Place the piece of natural lump charcoal directly on top of a gas burner. With the heat on full, burn the charcoal directly over the flames, turning the charcoal around using long tongs, so the flames reach all sides of the charcoal. The charcoal might spark a little but I have not found this to be a problem.
I usual do the next part outside on my kitchen windowsill, apart from not wanting to set the fire alarm off, the smoke can leave a smokey aroma in the kitchen for a day or two,
How has this affected me ?
This technique has affected me to such an extent that when i learned this technique i started smoking every food item from salad to main course items but now only dessert items are in queue.