Tempering the dishes for flavor and fragrance is an ancient Ayurvedic tradition that changes the composition of a particular food & its effect on the body. It is a method of adding crushed or whole spices into heated fat until they release their essential oils and aroma to add a subtle taste to the dish.
Ghee or oil is moderately heated before adding the spices because hot fat has an amazing ability to extract and retain the essen…ce and aroma of the spices that unlocks the healing benefits of the spices.
Ginger & Cumin seed tempering help beating constipation and eliminating toxins. Garlic tempering prevents from cold and cough. Tempering onions with asafoetida (hing) balances diuretic properties in onion and makes it good for digestion. Adding red chilli powder in tempering gives an extra kick to the dish and guards the body against infections. Gorgeous curry leaves & mustard seeds tempering reduces the cholesterol level and accelerate hair growth. Last but not the least is methi dana (fenugreek seeds) and whole red chilli tempering is most iconic one specially when added with curry leaves and mustard seeds.
Try tempering all sorts of dishes you prepare this holiday season for an extra flavor adding a pinch of love.
~ Yogi