Curry Recipes Online
Beginners Guide => Trainee Chefs / Beginners Questions => Topic started by: Cory Ander on January 09, 2012, 09:27 AM
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Can those, that allude to knowing, please elaborate on what they understand to be the "tarka" (or "tadka") technique that is used in BIR (and traditional) Indian cooking?
To my mind, it's a term generally applied to the technique whereby some whole spices are fried in oil (or ghee) with garlic, onions, etc, which is then added to a main dish, towards the end of cooking, as a garnish/flavouring (e.g. "tarka dhal").
What other views are there please?
I think it would be very useful, to many members, to be aware of this as a "cooking technique" used in BIR (and traditional) Indian cooking.
I reckon is would be very helpful to many members if we could specify:
- what it is?
- why it is used?
- when it is used?
- how it is used?
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To my mind, it's a term generally applied to the technique whereby some whole spices are fried in oil (or ghee) with garlic, onions, etc, which is then added to a main dish, towards the end of cooking, as a garnish/flavouring (e.g. "tarka dhal").
Good questions CA, I don't understand this properly either.I thought the above description sounds more like the traditional cooking technique of tempering, which is also called baghar?????
ELW
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Cory, I agree with your definition.
The term Tadka or Tarka comes from the Hindi and Punjabi words for 'frying whole in hot oil' and is interchangeable with the Bengali term Bargar. In common useage, the difference is essentially how the results are used.
In Bargar, further ingredients are added to the 'bargar' and cooking is continued. In Tarka, the pan contents are added to something else.
Personally I prefer and am more familiar with the term 'tempering' to tarka.
Tarka
What it is?
The process of frying whole spices with the possible addition of other ingredients such as garlic, ginger, fresh green chilli's or any other common ingredient found and used in Indian cuisine.
Why is it used?
To extract the flavours and essential oils from the whole spices and to cook out the rawness from them and to extract flavours out of the other ingredients.
When is it used?
When these types of ingredients are required as an additional flavouring to something else eg. as an addition to Tarka Dhal.
How is it used?
By adding whole spices to hot oil and frying till they are fragrant along with extracting the flavours from the other ingredients and adding to another dish as a 'tempering' or additional 'flavouring'.
This is my understanding and definition of the term 'Tarka'.
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I agree with everything Spicey and Cory have defined. As for 'bagar' got to admit, I've only heard of this term over the last couple of months but it seems that it is almost the same thing?
Just been doing a bit of reading up (spurious internet sources, you understand!) and it seems, that as well as a 'tarka' being added in a similar way to that of a seasoning, it is extremely useful as an aid to digestion, especially if the tarka is made up of panch poran?
Ray :)
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I agree with everything Spicey and Cory have defined. As for 'bagar' got to admit, I've only heard of this term over the last couple of months but it seems that it is almost the same thing?
I only heard of it when Haldi asked Ifindforu about his base recently. Some of the better bir's here use tempering in their speciality dishes, eg coriander seeds & dried chillies in oil.
ELW
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I think that's an excellent definition Spicey.
I only wish that those that allude to "knowing better" would also respond...you know, in the spirit of the forum and for the benefit of all..... ::)
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I think that's an excellent definition Spicey.
I only wish that those that allude to "knowing better" would also respond...you know, in the spirit of the forum and for the benefit of all..... ::)
Unfortunately, I fear that many members would prefer to keep their 'understanding' of the definition of 'Tarka' to themselves, in fear of ridicule should their 'understanding' differ somewhat to both yours and Spicey's excellent definitions.
Such a shame...!
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Unfortunately, I fear that many members would prefer to keep their 'understanding' of the definition of 'Tarka' to themselves, in fear of ridicule should their 'understanding' differ somewhat to both yours and Spicey's excellent definitions.
Such a shame...!
The "shame" is that they appear to ridicule others for not understanding (or doing) it, but aren't prepared to elaborate for the benefit of all members!
I'm sure that if you, or others, have other definitions, or explanations, then we'd all be pleased to hear it?
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Unfortunately, I fear that many members would prefer to keep their 'understanding' of the definition of 'Tarka' to themselves, in fear of ridicule should their 'understanding' differ somewhat to both yours and Spicey's excellent definitions.
Such a shame...!
The "shame" is that they appear to ridicule others for not understanding (or doing) it, but aren't prepared to elaborate for the benefit of all members!
There is also the possibility that some members are actually doing it and doing it well, without understanding why or what they are doing it? That being that they are following a recipe instruction to the letter, and acheive what the recipe provider intendeds us to?
Isn't that what a forum like this is all about, members providing recipes for other members to follow?
Ray :)
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There is also the possibility that some members are actually doing it and doing it well, without understanding why or what they are doing it? That being that they are following a recipe instruction to the letter, and acheive what the recipe provider intendeds us to?
Isn't that what a forum like this is all about, members providing recipes for other members to follow?
Ray :)
Come on Ray, are you REALLY for real! :o
Surely it's more about HOW to do it and WHY it's done that way? (unless you're a total moron!) ::)
Anybody who can't answer simple questions about how and why they do it, the way that they do, are either ignorant, or dont understand it themselves.
For me, I consider this forum to be about sharing, debating and understanding.
And that's the purpose of this thread! To solicit opinions about what the technique is, why it is used, when is it used and how is it used?
Who can REALLY argue with that as an objective! ::)
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Come on Ray, are you REALLY for real! :o
Surely it's more about HOW to do it and WHY it's done that way? (unless you're a total moron!) ::)
Anybody who can't answer simple questions about how and why they do it, the way that they do, are either ignorant, or dont understand it themselves.
For me, I consider this forum to be about sharing, debating and understanding.
Oh, did you miss out insulting?
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Insulting? Please, Ray, get a grip man! ;)
I would think that most people wish to know WHAT to do, WHEN to di it, HOW to do it and WHY to do it that way (unless they are a total moron).
Please focus on the original question (before you derailed it!) ::)
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For me, I consider this forum to be about sharing, debating and understanding.
That's what I thought too, but others seem to have different agendas.
This site is no different to any other male dominated discussion forum found all over the internet. Where testosterone rules, ego's will too.
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I am confused. CA / Spicey surely you both must be wrong with your definition of Tarka. Abdul, Chewy et al teach that this is a method of cooking that is introduced at the beginning not at the end of cooking a dish as an addition as you suggest. Is someone trying to deliberately mislead us all here or am I beginning to experience Toys in the Attic.
Jack
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Hi :)
I was always led to believe that "TARKA" meant you wanted the curry a little" OTTER ";D
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Hi Jack,
I am confused. CA / Spicey surely you both must be wrong with your definition of Tarka. Abdul, Chewy et al teach that this is a method of cooking that is introduced at the beginning not at the end of cooking a dish as an addition as you suggest. Is someone trying to deliberately mislead us all here or am I beginning to experience Toys in the Attic.
Jack
No, nobody is trying to deliberately mislead you/us. Basically, a tarka is made at the beginning of the dish. Other ingredients can be added once the tarka stage is complete, to continue with the dish. A tarka can also be made with the intention of acting as a seasoning or garnish as in the dish Tarka Dal, whereby the lentils are cooked in one pan, the tarka in another. The tarka is then added to the cooked lentils.
Hope that explains what I'm trying to say? :-\
Ray :)
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(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/imagehost/pics/248279e132dd2ce8e54534504c30373d.JPG)
Again, taken from here:
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=-UFwsluKqM8C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false (http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=-UFwsluKqM8C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false)
;)
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(http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/imagehost/pics/248279e132dd2ce8e54534504c30373d.JPG)
Again, taken from here:
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=-UFwsluKqM8C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false (http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=-UFwsluKqM8C&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false)
;)
Shame you didn't post that 1st dalpuri, might have saved a lot of unecessary pettiness and bickering!!
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It never occured to me Whandsy, i was just enjoying the fun :)
I only found the book recently for the smoking technique, and had only glanced a few pages.
Didn't read that passage until 10 mins ago meself ;)
I myself thought it was used only at the end but seems to be either or.
Frank. :)
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I have never done this myself but i thought
it was added toward the end to add that little
bit something extra.
I remember Bruce Edwards used this term long ago.
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Frank, thanks for taking the trouble to do the research on this and sharing it with us all so we are ALL now clear on the meaning. Think it captures most peoples commments and nobody is wrong. How disappointing >:( So we can all take a break and see what controversial topic we can next discuss, eh?
Best wishes CH
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I always understood it as simply seasoning the oil with whole spices (and possibly herbs)
How, when or what you do with the Tarka being irrelivent
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I am confused. CA / Spicey surely you both must be wrong with your definition of Tarka.
Hi Jack
The term and definition of 'Tarka' is and can be confusing, which is why I stated in my definition that I much prefer the term 'tempering' to Tarka. The Problem is, Bargar, Bagar or whatever spelling you want to use and Tadka, or Tarka are interchangeable in terms of what the process is - extracting flavours from spices or ingredients through frying in hot oil, but they differ in terms of what you actually do with it after the process is completed.
With Bargar, you continue cooking the dish, with Tarka, you can add it as a 'tempering' to another dish as flavour as in the case of Dhal. Either way, you still start with frying spices or flavourings in hot oil, but you may add it to the end of cooking of something else.
This is precisely the reason I prefer the term Tempering to Tarka.
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Surely it's more about HOW to do it and WHY it's done that way? (unless you're a total moron!) ::)
Oh, did you miss out insulting?
Apologies, Ray, I can see that, upon reflection, my statement ("unless you're....") might well come across as being personally directed and insulting (which wasn't my intention). I should have written "unless one is....", but that always sounds a bit pompous, to me. Anyway, I meant "unless one is a..." (in a generic sense....i.e. generically insulting! ;)) :)
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we are ALL now clear on the meaning. Think it captures most peoples commments and nobody is wrong. How disappointing >:( So we can all take a break and see what controversial topic we can next discuss, eh?
I don't think it is clear, at all, CH. There seem to be, so far, several, and conflicting, understandings and interpretations from various members and sources.
I would prefer that we continue to solicit opinions until we actually do get a good, clear, understanding of what we mean when we use this term (and the terms bhoona and bargaar). And, importantly, of how it is done, when it is done and why it is done?
It strikes me that understanding these techniques (i.e. "what?" and "why?"), and correctly applying them (i.e. "how?" and "when?") is probably far more important, to achieving the desired taste and smell of curries, than precise measurements of ingredients.
To this end, I think it would be great to also get contributions from the likes of CBM, CT, Adbul, Ifindforu, Haldi, etc, etc...
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Still well confused. So I now see that a Tarka is used to finish of a cooked dish ie Tarka Dhal or a Dhansak but apparently can also be used to describe the frying of onions/garlic/ginger/peppers and spices at the start of a dish surely this would be to Bhoona. Is the only difference between the two methods being that a Tarka can be used at anytime throughout the cooking process whereas a Bhoona can only be performed at the start?
Jack
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At a risk of feeding the troll here are my thoughts on the subject.
The Tarka is used when two different cooking methods are required to achieve a result - usually a different layer of flavour within a dish giving a mix of mild and intense taste. I'm trying to think of a good analogy but I'm struggling. The best I can offer is ice-cream. Raspberry ripple ice-cream tastes nicer than plain raspberry icecream, you have those nice seams of intense raspberry flavourings to tickle your taste buds.
With a tarka you are adding in the same sort of thing, little nuggets of stronger flavoured spice/chilli/garlic. If you added these things first the taste would be absorbed by the sauce giving a more uniform flavour.
The example I have seen of this many times is the garlic tarka that finishes off the Roshney Chicken. When the dish is nearly complete Az will get some veg ghee smoking hot, add a good 3 - 4 cloves worth of chopped garlic, fry it until golden brown, then add a little sauce to the pan to start a mad flambee. Once the flames die down the garlic tarka is added to the dish, stirred in along with fresh coriander and it's finished. The result is an extra depth of flavour that isn't re-creatable any other way.
I assume the same principal is true for adding whole spices, chillies e.t.c. The point is, they go in last so they maintain maximum flavour within the dish.
Hope this helps.
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Here's another on-line definition
link to wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaunk (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaunk)
Also known as chaunk ???
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Just to add to the confusion, my understanding has always been that a 'tarka' was a 'product' in the way that AbdulMohed describes in his original recipes posted at the start of the BIR Style Wagon........that is, a basic tarka is the combination of oil, garlic, onions, ginger + capsicum and salt (both optional) and fried until a golden brown. This then forms the 'base' for adding other recipe-specific ingredients according to the dish you are making.
The 'Bhoona' is the 'process' or technique used to fry spices in hot oil (which may be added to the tarka) so as to release the flavours.
In summary, the tarka is a 'product', the bhoona is a 'process'. There again, I could be hopelessly wrong!!!!!
Al.