The aroma of a tadke wali dal can make us salivate even from a distance. The rhapsody of various spices in hot ghee has its own taste and smell which defines Indian cuisine. But have you ever wondered why we add a tadka or chhonk in our dals and other dishes? Is it just for taste or does it hold any other benefit as well? The truth is, a tadka not only adds flavour to our food but also holds many health benefits in it. Let’s find out how a tadka can help us.
According to nutritionist Neha Chandna, ‘Herbs have their own healing properties and some (like jeera) are excellent for digestion. So, it makes complete sense to add it your dishes like dals, veggies, etc. It also gives the food a mouth-watering taste and adds a visual appeal to boring, routine food.’
Celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar in her Indian Food Wisdom and the Art of Eating Right series stresses on the fact that tadka increases the nutrient value of the dish. Phytonutrients present in haldi, curry leaves, jeera, etc are important for our body — they all have medicinal values.
She also busts the myth that the oil or ghee used for tadka only adds to our intake of calories. According to her, the fat in them actually helps us absorb many hidden nutrients in the vegetables present in the dish.
How to add a tadka to your dishes
Tadka which is known as tempering in English, is followed across different Indian cuisines be is from the southern or northern India. Though the ingredients may differ slightly, the benefits still remain intact. Here’s what you need to do.
Tadka is either added at the very beginning or at the very end of the dish depending on what it is. For example, in dals, tadka is often added in the end while other preparations have it at the start.
Heat a tablespoon of ghee or oil in a pan. Remember, avoid using olive oil as it has a low smoke point and does not go well with Indian cooking. When it is simmering hot, keep the gas on a medium flame and add rye. Once they start to crackle, add jeera. Once the jeera becomes slightly bigger in size, add onion, garlic. Stir continuously till they become slightly pink. Now add spices like haldi, hing, mirchi powder or red chillies, etc. Mix them well and then turn off the gas. Now add this to your pre-cooked dal, mix and serve immediately. This is a standard dal tadka. Depending on the dish, the ingredients change. For example, in some dishes, curry leaves, ginger-garlic paste is added in the tadka.
Points to keep in mind
‘The only thing you need to bear in mind is to control the oil content while making the tadka. Many people end up using too much oil which obviously adds to weight gain and other health issues. People with stomach ulcers, acidity, heart problems, mouth ulcers, pimples, excessive body heat, etc must keep it to a minimum,’ advises Neha.
You may also like to read:
- 10 ways to cook healthy (Gallery)
- Cooked food packs more energy than raw food
- Healthy cooking for dummies – 2 easy-to-make recipes
- Is your cooking oil making you unhealthy?
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