The basic method
- Heat the fat. Ghee or oil, enough to coat the pan, on medium-high heat. It is ready when a cumin seed dropped in sizzles straight away.
- Add the seeds that need longest first. Mustard seeds go in first and need to pop; then cumin, which needs only seconds.
- Add quick-burning spices last. Asafoetida, dried chillies, curry leaves and ground spices burn fast. Add them for the last few seconds, or take the pan off the heat first.
- Use it straight away. Pour the sizzling tadka over dal or raita, or add onions to it to start a curry.
Common tadkas
| Dish | What goes in, in order |
|---|---|
| North Indian dal | Ghee, cumin, garlic, dried red chilli, asafoetida, red chilli powder |
| Sambar and South Indian dishes | Oil, mustard seeds (until they pop), urad dal, dried chillies, curry leaves, asafoetida |
| Bengali vegetables | Mustard oil heated until it smokes then cooled slightly, panch phoron, dried chilli |
| Gujarati kadhi | Ghee, mustard seeds, cumin, fenugreek seeds, cloves, cinnamon, curry leaves, asafoetida |
| Raita | Oil or ghee, cumin, then poured over yoghurt |
What goes wrong
- Bitter tadka: the spices burned. Start again; it only takes a minute.
- Raw-tasting mustard seeds: they did not pop. Wait for the crackling to start and settle.
- Spitting oil: curry leaves and wet ingredients make hot oil jump. Stand back and use a lid.
Tick off what you have in the What can I cook? finder and it will show you dishes that start with your tadka.
