New Delhi, June 14 -- What alchemy of fire and wood turns a portly pig into silken-fleshed deliciousness? I was hoping Annie Jamir, the owner of Longchen homestay, would detail out the processes, but she directed me to her husband. 'Talk to Toshi. He's a smoking hound. He's hardcore,' she said.

Clad in a black hat, white polo tee, and khaki shorts, Toshi joined us at the machang, an alfresco bamboo platform where breakfast was served the next morning. A purist at heart, he regards smoking as a true labour of love. 'You gotta slog to get it right. There are no shortcuts,' he said, his passion for the art reflecting in the seriousness of his expression.

The rituals of cleaning, curing, and smoking were muscle memory to the aficionado, who...