Coal Smoke Infusion

Dhungar is a restaurant secret that home cooks increasingly use to replicate the smoky depth of tandoor cooking. A small piece of natural charcoal is heated until glowing red, placed in a small steel cup or piece of foil in the center of the finished dish, then a spoonful of ghee is drizzled over the coal. As the ghee smokes and burns, the pot is immediately sealed for 5-10 minutes. The smoke infuses the dal, karahi, or qorma with the same charcoal smokiness that an open-fire cooking environment would provide.