What is the "Tarka" (or "Tadka") Technique used in Indian Cooking?

[curryhell]

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

[gary]

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

[spiceyokooko]

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.

[Cory Ander]

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!   ) 

[Cory Ander]

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...

[Jackh]

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

[chriswg]

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.

[Whandsy]

Here's another on-line definition

link to wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaunk

Also known as chaunk 

[alarmist10]

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.