Comedian Hasan Minhaj is currently experiencing a flurry of jokes on social media following the release of a video in which he discusses dal and its toppings. In this clip, Minhaj uses the term “dharka” while explaining how some patrons request additional fried onions with their dal, prompting confusion among many Indian food enthusiasts.

In his video, Minhaj elaborates on the experience of ordering dal at South Asian restaurants, both in India and the United States. He states that certain customers specifically ask for “extra dharka,” which he describes as fried onions placed atop the dish. He notes, “If you go to a South Asian restaurant and even in India, there’s this idea when you sometimes order dal, you’ll say extra dharka.”

Minhaj continues by joking about the lengths to which customers will go to ensure they receive ample fried onions, suggesting that they might want so much that they would be unable to kiss their loved ones after the meal. However, his use of the term has not been well-received by numerous social media users, who have pointed out that “dharka” is not widely recognised as a term for fried onions.

Social Media Reactions to Minhaj’s Explanation

The online community was quick to respond, with various users questioning Minhaj’s choice of terminology and the confidence he displayed while explaining it. One Instagram user described the remark as “Disturbing, on several levels!” while another commented, “@hasanminhaj is the whitest person I know.”

One user provided a more comprehensive correction, asserting that “dharka” is not a commonly used term in India or elsewhere for fried onions. They clarified that fried onions are typically referred to as birista, while tadka denotes the tempering of spices in hot oil or ghee that is added to dal and other Indian dishes.

Some users found humour in the concept of requesting extra tadka with dal. One comment read, “Extra Dharka is what my heart does whenever I see Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Tadka is what you put in food and no one asks for extra tadka.” Another user humorously remarked, “All I need in life is this man’s confidence! And some extra DHARKA, whatever it means!”

Another comparison likened Minhaj’s confidence to that of ChatGPT when it responds to questions without sufficient expertise, stating, “@hasanminhaj being as confident as ChatGPT when it doesn’t have the expertise.” The reactions transformed Minhaj’s food commentary into a broader discussion regarding Indian culinary terms, with users sharing their interpretations of tadka and fried onions.

Rohan Joshi Joins the Conversation

Comedian Rohan Joshi also contributed to the ongoing discourse by creating an AI-generated edit of the poster for the 2000 Bollywood film ‘Dhadkan’. In this revised poster, Joshi replaced the faces of actors Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Shilpa Shetty with Minhaj’s image, while also altering the film’s title to ‘Dharka’, adding a Bollywood twist to the joke.

Joshi shared the edited poster on social media, expressing his apologies to Minhaj in the caption while admitting that he felt compelled to share the creation. He wrote, “Sorry @hasanminhaj ur awesome but I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if I didn’t put this out into the world.”

This edit further enriched the online roast, turning the discussion of a term for a dal topping into a meme within the Bollywood context. Minhaj’s use of “dharka” has thus generated a lively conversation on social media, with his explanation of a well-known Indian dish becoming the focal point for jokes, corrections, and an unexpected Dharka-themed poster.

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