Tadka
Servings: 4 people
- 4 tablespoons olive oil substitute ghee or avocado oil
- 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 mild chili pepper more or less to taste
- 6 small bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes more or less to taste
- Heat 4 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan on medium heat for about 30 seconds. Add 6 small bay leaves, 3 cloves garlic, 1 mild chili pepper (both thinly sliced), and ¼ teaspoon salt.Fry gently for about 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add ½ teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and fry for 30 more seconds.Turn the heat off and set aside for 5 minutes or more to infuse.
- Our preferred way of using tadka is as a finishing oil, drizzled on a dish.You’ll need one to two teaspoons to boost the flavor of a dish.It’s excellent with curries, stews, soups, and dals, especially those topped with cold yogurt.
Nutrition information is an estimate for 1 serving of tadka out of 4 servings, made with olive oil.
SUBSTITUTIONS & ADDITIONS
Olive oil: Substitute avocado oil, mustard oil, vegetable oil, coconut oil, or ghee.
Aromatics: You can add onions, shallots, kasuri methi, cinnamon sticks, star anise, thinly sliced ginger, curry leaves, cardamon pods, and cloves.
Spices: You can add asafoetida, fenugreek, mustard seeds, sesame seeds, nigella seeds, crushed pepper, cinnamon, etc.
STORAGE
Store in the fridge in a jar for 4 days.
TIPS FOR A HEALTHIER TADKA
- Add small amounts on top of a dish – one to two teaspoons is usually enough – rather than mixing it in a dish.
- Use a healthier fat, such as olive oil or avocado oil, instead of saturated fats like butter, ghee, or ultra-processed vegetable oils.
- Please don’t burn the oil; instead, heat it gently. The oil should not smoke. If it smokes, it produces unhealthy particles, which we want to avoid.
