Just a usual day while watching TV, not giving rest to the remote controller, frequently changing the channels without having anything particular in mind, in the middle I heard the word "tadka" and I put it on. An Ayurveda doc was discussing the benefits of Tadka and I was amazed. The program was almost over, all I could catch up from the program was him telling about the effects of the aroma of the tadka spices. I felt curious and I wanted to learn more. Thought to google it and my outcomes won’t disappoint you.
First, let me brief you on what is "Tempering" in food terms (Tadka-Indian word).
“Tempering commonly said as Tadka by Indians is a manner in which we heat oil or ghee and add certain spices to it and pour to finished dish to enhance its flavor”.
Most of the time, this technique is done after the dish is cooked. We use a separate skillet/pan and heat the required elements and add them to the final dish. It may also be done before the cooking process, for example, we temper the spices such as Cardamom, cloves, and fennel seeds and then add water and rice to the same pan and boil. We all know that tempering does add a lot of aromatic flavor to our favorite dishes, but few of us have thought about its actual health benefits. Tempering is common in Indian Cuisine. It is followed by many other countries as well.
Let's discuss the commonly used elements we use for tempering by categorization and its nutritional benefits. (You may not find my categorizations perfect, because I have done it according to my idea)
Seeds
Under this category as the name says, includes seeds and you should wait to pop and crackle them while in the hot oil, then only it will release the actual aroma and whatsoever benefits the particular ingredient have to offer.
Mustard Seeds:-Black mustard seeds are the most common ingredient used for tempering clearly because of its high nutritional values. It is known for its effects on muscle pain, inflammation and it’s also sometimes used to treat diarrhea. Mustard seeds are rich in calcium, magnesium, iron, protein, zinc, omega 3 fatty acids, and dietary fibers.
Cumin Seeds:-We are familiar with cumin seeds digestive properties. But it has more medicinal properties to offer. It helps to reduce blood sugar & cholesterol, reduce fat content, and prevent foodborne illnesses. It even benefits skin and hair.
Fenugreek Seeds:-Fenugreek commonly known for its benefits in lowering blood sugar levels and it helps in increasing milk production in breastfeeding mothers. It is a rich source of protein, dietary fiber, B vitamins, and other minerals. Fenugreek leaves are also used differently.
Urad & Chana Dal Mix:- The main purpose of adding this as a tadka would be to add crunchiness to our soft and mushy gravies. Urad dal contains protein, fat, and carbohydrates which are needed for the body. It is known to have good effects on boosting energy, digestion, good for heart, etc..
Green Chilies/Red Chilies
Indeed, Chilies make our dishes hot and savoring. But the seeds in chilies are stacked with vitamins like A, B, and K and also support the immune system. It also has some antioxidant properties.
Elements that are half cooked to retain its nutritional values.
Below mentioned are those elements which we use as one of the main components of the Dish, but are prone to lose its nutritional values during the long process of the cooking process which consists of heating, boiling, deep-frying, etc. As a result of that, we try to add a few of those during the tempering process and regain its values to some extent.
Shallots: Shallots are packed with antioxidants that help protect the body and may help to reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, and diabetes. It is also high in potassium, vitamin A and folate.
Garlic & Ginger: Both are packed with anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties keeping the infections and bacteria away.
Leaves
Curry leaves: - Its strong aroma, makes dishes more flavorful. Further, it has many benefits which include anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, etc. as it is packed with varied antioxidants and protects overall health.
Coriander Leaves: -It’s mainly known for its digestive properties. Apart from that it also helps in lowering stress, weight control, bone health, antibacterial, etc.
Bay Leaves:- Apart from its extraordinary aroma, it offers numerous health benefits starting with easing migraines, improving appetite, resist cancer cells, indigestion, etc.
Powdered Spices
Asafoetida – It is also known as Food of Gods due to its anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-inflammatory properties, asafetida has a lot to offer to our health. It can be used to reduce bloating, stomach problems, headache, menstrual pains, and so on.
Turmeric – Turmeric is a very strong anti-oxidant. It is well known for boosting immunity.
Apart from all the above, some of the elements which are often used in the starting stage of the cooking process are listed below:
· Fennel Seeds-Aids Digestion, prevents bad breath, a good source of potassium.
· Cardamom-It can be used in any dish sweet, spicy, or sour. Only if you prefer its intense aroma. It is also known for easing digestion and has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial effects.
· Cloves-It promotes the immune system and has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Relieves stress.
· Cinnamon-Powerful Antioxidant, natural infection healer and contains vitamins and minerals for optimum health
Oil
Oil is the first and necessary ingredient for tempering. Even though I mentioned it last. It is advised to avoid using olive oil for your tadka. Olive oil cannot stand high temperatures and breaks down. Stick with clarified butter, ghee, vegetable oil, coconut oil, or grapeseed oil for your tadka. Most of the oil contains certain fatty acids and vitamins like A, D, E & K required thus making your tadka nutritional.
To review, we now know most of the elements commonly aids us with below benefits:-
Provides fat-soluble Vitamins.
Digestion
Anti-bacterial
Anti-Inflammatory
Boosting Immunity
Controlling blood sugar and Cholesterol
Now I know why my mother in law adds a lot of mustard seeds or any type of tempering ingredients heavily. Before I knew about this information, I considered tempering as a mere technique to enhance some flavor to your dish. So in most of the routine dishes, I didn’t bother to add this, just because I felt lazy to take a different skillet/ pan, pour the oil and add in those elements or rather I didn’t want to add up to those pile of dirty dishes in the sink. But now that I am aware, I am never compromising on “tadka”. I hope it will have the same effect on y’all. Despite the fact, we are adding only a tiny bit portion of these elements, and since we know their numerous benefits, let’s not lose even 1% of what each has to offer.
I hope I was informative enough. However, the list of tempering elements is not limited to what I have listed above. These are only among the varied spices which I always use in my Kitchen.
Information collected from varied sources and collaborated :)