What is Tarka?
Mastering the Indian technique of tarka (or tadka) will take your food, Indian and otherwise to a higher notch. Tarka is a process that is also called “tempering” or “blooming” and is incredibly easy and super quick. Bonus.
Simply put, making a tarka is the method of frying spices in hot fat. Tempering spices in this way unlocks maximum flavour from them, infuses the oil and in turn, your food. The whole process of making a tarka takes no longer than a minute and is incredibly easy, but a lively process that requires you to have eagle eyes, good timing and intuition.
There are two stages of cooking in which you would make a tarka for Indian cuisine; you could bloom your spices at the very beginning of a recipe for a curry or quick meat-fry, for example. Alternatively, you would bloom your spices/ make a tarka at the end of cooking to drizzle over the finished dish, such as a dal. The tarka in a “Tarka Dal” elevates it by adding an intense flavour bomb to the buttery lentils.
As well as Indian food, you could add a tarka to a soup or plain rice as a quick, delicious way to add extra flavour. I usually temper my spices in ghee because I love the flavour, however you could use oil such as canola or coconut if you wanted to keep it vegan or prefer the taste.
Here are some tips for making a tarka:
- Choose you pot or pan…
