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Tadka: one sexy kitchen manoeuver








Cooks love what they do because, let’s face it. Cooking is sexy! It’s a dance. It’s choreography. It's a theater. It’s why we like to bang things around with our feet and our hips, it’s why we slam the pans on the counter extra hard, and it’s why we smack meat on a scorching hot grill, causing the flames to leap up angrily. We say it’s because that’s the only way to get the coveted deep grill marks, but honestly, it’s the theatrics. Some latent hidden primal instinct is awoken that appeals to the thrill seeker that lies otherwise dormant within us.

When it comes to Indian cooking, very few techniques scream theater as much as a Tadka. It’s mesmerizing to observe a seasoned cook go about the process. First, a round bottomed pan with a sturdy handle is placed on the flame, and filled with oil or ghee. All the spices and aromatics are carefully lined up in advance, because scrambling for ingredients is for rookies. The palm of the hand is hovered dangerously close over the shimmering fat, to test if the temperature is just right. A deep breath is drawn… and the dance begins!

There’s crackling, there’s sizzling, there’s spluttering. Years of cooking expertise determines which spices go in first, and what it should be followed by. Dried spices are introduced based on how long it takes to cook. There’s a pecking order when it comes to it. Mustard always goes before cumin and fennel because high heat is needed to cause it to splutter. Unspluttered mustard seeds are just wrong! Dried chilies and Curry leaves go in last because they are delicate and prolonged exposure to heat will cause it to scorch. Wet ingredients like onions, ginger, garlic and chili contain moisture that tends to bring down the temperature of the oil. However this is an essential step as it builds the platform for the powdered spices like turmeric, coriander and red chili powders. These will surely turn black otherwise due to the high heat involved. With each ingredient, a fresh cloud of aroma that fills the air that simply mesmerizes. When all the ingredients come together in harmony, the hot pan with contents that could easily cause third degree burns is lifted and poured into the pot of simmering lentils, kormas, chutney transferring the infused flavor to the dish. As the cook steps away, there is an acute awareness of swooning, of knees being weakened and of hearts being broken everywhere.

Maybe it’s because I have a liking for all things dramatic that I am drawn to Tadkas. Simply put, a Tadka is an infusion of spices and seasonings bloomed in hot fat. But what an opportunity for theater it presents! And you can’t argue the science behind a tadka. Spices and aromatics contain fat soluble flavor compounds that can only be unlocked by heat and a fat medium. If you were to take the same lineup of ingredients and add them directly to the same dish, the results will be completely different and honestly, quite lackluster. Tadkas can be done at the start of the cooking process, as when preparing a subzi or tarkari. Tadkas can also be done at the end of the cooking process, as when preparing a simple Dal Tadka. And when preparing a complex korma, a tadka is sometimes done both at the beginning to set the stage, and at the end to elevate flavor, add complexity and to take the dish to the proverbial next level altogether.

So the next time you wish to make an impression and to show off your cooking chops, my advice is to perform the tadka just when your guests are ready around the table. Expect thunderous applause and admiration, followed by the oohs and aahs as the digging in begins. Cooking is all about the presentation, and the Tadka allows for a flair that’s hard to match.






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