Explore How Smoke And Spice Turn Simple Meals Into Soulful Experiences

There is something about grilled veggies. That smoky flavour. The way spices crackle in hot oil. It takes you back. To your mom’s kitchen. A festival morning. A quiet dinner after a long day. Smoke and spice have a way of turning simple food into stories. Into memories. Into something you never forget.

From preservation to flavour

For centuries, smoke was used to preserve food long before refrigeration existed. Now, its role is delightfully different, used to enhance, deepen, and elevate flavours.

Smoke adds character, nuance, and a sense of time and place to your favourite dish. Think of the delicate smokiness in a bowl of baingan bharta or the rich, earthy char of perfectly grilled corn with lime and masala. Depending on the wood or method used, be it mesquite, oak, or applewood, smoke can whisper subtle earthiness or roar with intensity.

Modern kitchens are now exploring smoke in more creative ways. While it is common in meats and barbeques, it is also being used to finish oils, butter, salt, and even cocktails. Soft cheeses, tomatoes, and leafy greens take on new life when lightly smoked, adding that hint of campfire nostalgia or sophisticated softness.

Across restaurants in India and beyond, chefs are bringing in table-side smoke-tending or finishing dishes with a quick infusion of wood smoke for drama and depth.

Spice: soul of the dish

If smoke is the slow burn, then spice is the spark. And for Indian palates, spice is expected and essential. They bring heat and layers. Cumin offers warmth and bitterness, coriander a citrusy roundness, while star anise adds sweet complexity. With just a few toasted seeds, a basic dal is transformed into a hearty, fragrant dish. Curry leaves, crackling mustard seeds, smoky paprika, and chilli blends can redefine a dish’s identity in a matter of seconds.

Indian cuisine, of course, is unparalleled when it comes to the artful layering of spice. From the assertive tandoori masalas in Punjab to the coconut-tempered spices of Kerala, spices are the medium through which food becomes expressive, emotional, even transportive.

What happens when smoke and spice are blended?

While incredible on their own, smoke and spice reach their fullest potential together. It’s in dishes like tandoori chicken, marinated in spiced yoghurt, roasted in a clay oven over hot coals, that we experience this perfect harmony. The fire adds texture and flavour while the spices offer complexity and heat.

Smoky red chillies, a staple in many North Indian kitchens, form the base of dozens of chutneys and sauces. In Mexican cuisine, chipotle, a smoke-dried jalapeño, is used to flavour hearty stews and tangy salsas. Moroccan tagines use slow heat and warm spices to coax flavour from inexpensive cuts of meat.

Even vegetarian and vegan cooking is embracing this dynamic. Grilled paneer skewers with garam masala, smoked sweet potatoes with chilli oil, or roasted cauliflower with Kashmiri chilli all showcase how everyday ingredients can be transformed with just two elements.

Simplicity, elevated

The most exciting part? You don’t need a Michelin-star kitchen to unlock this flavour potential. Smoke and spice are deeply democratic. All it takes is simple tools, a sense of curiosity, and a willingness to elevate what’s already in your pantry.

Try spooning some ghee into a hot pan with crushed garlic, dry chilli, and a dash of hing—and pour it over steamed rice. Fire-roast bell peppers on your stovetop and blend them with olive oil, cumin, and salt for a smoky dip. Or toss boiled potatoes with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and smoked paprika for a quick, soulful side dish.

Even desserts are playing with this duo. For example, smoked chocolate mousse with chilli flakes or cardamom-smoked panna cotta are becoming popular across segments.

Final words

The world is already moving faster than ever. Meals come from packets. Flavours feel flat. That’s why it feels so refreshing to slow down. To cook with your hands. To bring back real flavour.

Smoke takes you outside. To firewood. Grills. Stories under open skies. Spice brings you home. To your roots. Your people. Your memories. Together, they create more than taste. They create feeling.

It’s not about what they add. It’s about what they uncover. The soul of a vegetable. The magic in something simple. They remind you food doesn’t need to be fancy to feel special.

So next time you're in the kitchen, skip the bottled sauces. Light the flame. Open the spice box. A little smoke. A little heat. And just like that, you are cooking from the heart.

(Chef Avinash Kumar, Director of Culinary, Novotel Mumbai Juhu Beach)

Published on: Sunday, September 07, 2025, 12:00 AM IST