Some of the best things in Indian cooking simply cannot be hurried. Indian slow cooking, whether a sealed pot of biryani cooked on dum, a dal left to simmer for hours or lamb braised until it falls from the bone, is where the deepest flavours come from. Alongside fermenting and smoking, these age-old techniques are being rediscovered by chefs around the world. Here is why patience matters so much.
Rediscovering the roots
India's cooking heritage is deep and varied. Long before modern ovens, cooks relied on time-honoured methods: fermenting batters for dosas and idlis, smoking dishes over coals, and leaving dals and meat to cook slowly over a low fire.
Today, many chefs are revisiting these methods, sometimes with modern equipment, but always with the same principle at heart: time builds flavour.
Slow cooking: the soul of Indian food
Dum: cooking in its own steam
Dum is one of the best-known slow techniques. Ingredients are layered in a heavy pot, the lid is sealed, often with dough, and the dish cooks gently in its own steam over a low heat. Nothing escapes, so the aromas are trapped and the layers cook into one another. It is often linked with the royal kitchens of Awadh and is best known today through biryani. Read more in the art of biryani.
Dal: the patient pot
Dal makhani, black lentils cooked slowly with butter and cream, is traditionally simmered for hours, sometimes overnight. The long cooking turns the lentils silky and gives the dish a gentle smoky depth. Time lets the spices marry, the texture soften and the richness build.
Braised meat
Lamb on the bone is at its best cooked low and slow. The connective tissue melts, the sauce thickens with its juices, and the spices soak right through. Dishes like rogan josh and nihari rely on this patience.
Fermentation: more than flavour
Fermentation has always had a place in Indian kitchens. Idlis, dosas, dhoklas, pickles and yoghurt all depend on it. The process adds tang and depth, and fermented foods are widely valued for gut health.
Modern kitchens have become more experimental, turning fermented rice water or mango pickle into sauces and dressings. The idea is the same as it always was: let time and natural processes build flavour you can't get any other way.
Smoking: depth and drama
Smoke has long been part of Indian cooking. The tandoor gives meats and breads their char, and a traditional technique called dhungar infuses a dish with smoke by placing a hot coal in a small bowl inside the pot, adding a drop of ghee and covering it for a few minutes.
Some restaurants now smoke dishes at the table under a glass cloche for a bit of theatre. Theatre aside, the aim is flavour: an earthy, smoky note that links modern cooking with its roots. Our piece on the tandoor clay oven explains how smoke gets into grilled food.
Old methods, modern kitchens
What makes this revival worthwhile is respect. The best cooks are not simply copying old recipes; they study regional techniques, source good ingredients and learn from home cooks. Then they apply modern precision without losing the soul of the dish.
There are wider benefits too. Many of these methods use simple equipment and few additives, and reviving them keeps regional food cultures alive and connects generations through food.
Why it matters
Slow cooking, fermenting and smoking may be old methods, but they still produce some of the most satisfying food there is. Progress in the kitchen doesn't always mean something new. Sometimes the step forward is a thoughtful step back.
Taste the patience
You can taste slow cooking on our menu. The Maharaja Special Shank is a slow-cooked lamb shank in our house sauce. The Staff Lamb Curry is cooked on the bone for a deep, homestyle flavour. The Dall Makhani brings subtle smoky lentils with a creamy finish. For a celebration, our group set menu includes the Maharaja Special Shank at the Royal level and Staff Lamb Curry at the Maharaja level. Book a table and take your time.
