Renowned chef and former MasterChef Australia judge George Calombaris has triggered a heated online debate after sharing his personal take on the popular Indian dish dal makhani.In an Instagram Reel posted on May 24, Calombaris made it clear from the beginning that his recipe was far from traditional.
“This recipe is not authentic. I repeat. It’s not authentic,” he wrote in the caption, while describing it as “delicious and cheap to make.”The celebrity chef called it “my version” of dal makhani and walked viewers through a simplified cooking process using ingredients that many Indian food lovers considered unconventional for the classic Punjabi dish.His recipe included finely chopped onion, garlic, ginger, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, Kashmiri chilli, garam masala, butter, tomatoes, lentils and chicken stock made from cubes. Calombaris explained that he partially cooked the lentils first before simmering everything together for around 20 to 25 minutes until thick and creamy.However, despite the disclaimer, social media users quickly flooded the comments section with criticism and debate.
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Many viewers questioned the use of chicken stock in a dish traditionally known for its vegetarian roots, while others pointed out that authentic dal makhani is usually made using whole black lentils and slow-cooked for several hours to develop its rich flavour.Some users defended the chef, saying experimentation is part of cooking and appreciating that he openly admitted the recipe was not authentic. Others felt that changing key ingredients altered the identity of the dish completely.The video has since become a talking point online, once again highlighting how deeply personal and culturally significant food can be, especially when classic dishes are reimagined by global chefs.
