Renowned chef and former MasterChef Australia judge George Calombaris has found himself in the middle of a spicy digital debate after sharing his personal take on the beloved Indian staple, dal makhani. Also read | Chef Ranveer Brar shares easy home-style dal makhani recipe: See step-by-step preparation
In a May 24 Instagram Reels, George Calombaris was quick to add a disclaimer to his recipe, acknowledging that his rendition of the creamy lentil dish breaks several traditional rules. “This recipe is not authentic. I repeat. It’s not authentic,” he wrote in the caption, adding, “But it’s delicious and cheap to make.”
George’s ‘version of dal makhani’
In the video, George walked viewers through a simplified process, using ingredients that deviate significantly from the centuries-old Punjabi classic: “Today we’re going to cook my version, and I’ll repeat, my version of dal makhani.”
His recipe includes finely diced onion, garlic, and ginger, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, Kashmiri chilli, and a ‘good raining’ of garam masala, butter, a small amount of tomato, and a cup of soaked lentils, and a cup of chicken stock (made from cubes) to simmer the mixture. The chef’s method involved par-cooking the lentils to ‘take the edge off them’ before sweating the aromatics in butter and simmering the entire mixture for 20-25 minutes until thickened. Also read | Spaghetti and dal makhani to dhokla with aamras: Would you try these 10 weird food pairings?
The internet weighs in
Despite the chef’s pre-emptive ‘not authentic’ warning, the comments section of his post was quickly flooded with feedback from the Indian culinary community and long-time fans. The primary points of contention? The type of lentils used and the inclusion of chicken stock.
Traditional dal makhani is characterised by the use of urad dal (black lentils) and kidney beans, slow-cooked for hours — sometimes even overnight — with cream and butter to achieve its signature velvety texture. It is also, by definition, a vegetarian dish.
“Wrong!!” one Instagram user bluntly commented on George’s video, while another fellow chef offered a more nuanced critique. He said, “I know you’ve stated that this is your version… but this has 0 percent similarity to the actual dal makhani. This is a completely different dish. While it looks great, you might not want to call it dal makhani!”
The ‘non-veg’ divide
The use of chicken stock proved to be the most polarising choice for many viewers, given that dal makhani is a cornerstone of Indian vegetarian cuisine. “You have a lot of non-vegetarian food already, why make something authentic, a vegetarian dish into a non-vegetarian dish by using chicken stock???” asked a person. Another noted, “And it’s not black whole lentils [right]?? You tweaked it far, far too much. I guess you should name this dal something else.”
Despite the backlash regarding the dish’s name, many fans remained supportive of the chef’s creativity. “I love you so much George! But those are the wrong lentils, looks great though,” wrote one.
George’s recipe serves as a reminder of the fine line between culinary fusion and confusion, especially when it comes to dishes with deep cultural roots. While the dish may be a delicious, budget-friendly meal, the consensus from the internet is clear: it might be a great lentil recipe, but it isn’t quite dal makhani.
What do you think? Is a chef’s ‘my version’ enough of a disclaimer to change the fundamental ingredients of a classic dish?
Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
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