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Indian

Tadka (tempered ghee with cumin, garlic and chilli)

Vegetarian

तड़का · taṛkā

Ghee heated with cumin seeds, sliced garlic, dried chilli and asafoetida, then poured sizzling over dal, raita or khichdi. The aromatic finishing fat at the heart of Indian home cooking.

Tadka (tempered ghee with cumin, garlic and chilli) is an Indian sauce, ready in about 6 minutes and made with ghee and cumin seeds. It serves 4 and is rated beginner to cook.

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Prep
3 min
Cook
3 min
Total
6 min
Serves
4
Level
Beginner
Calories
98

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Have the dish you are finishing hot and ready, and all the spices measured — tadka takes under two minutes.

    • 1 min

  2. Step 2

    Heat the ghee (opens in a new tab) in a small pan (a tadka pan or the smallest frying pan you have) until hot but not smoking. Add the cumin seeds (opens in a new tab); they should sizzle immediately and darken a shade in 10–15 seconds.

    Food safety: Hot ghee causes serious burns; use a dry pan — water makes it spit violently.

  3. Step 3

    Add the garlic (opens in a new tab) and dried chillies and fry until the garlic is pale gold, then add the asafoetida (opens in a new tab).

    • 1 min
    • medium heat

  4. Step 4

    Take the pan off the heat, stir in the chilli powder (it scorches in seconds) and pour the sizzling tadka straight over the dal or dish. Cover for a minute to trap the aroma, then stir through.

    • 1 min

About this dish

Origin
Across India, India · Well documentedTempering whole spices in hot fat is used throughout South Asia, with regional names and spice combinations.Also popular in Pakistan, Bangladesh, NepalMore food from India
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Sauces · Condiments, chutneys & relishes
Cooking method
Sautéed
Taste
aromatic / warmly spiced, garlicky, buttery, smoky
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No nut ingredients · Keto-style · Low-carb
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Keto-style · Low-carb · Low-sodium
With the listed swaps: Vegan, Plant-based, Ovo-vegetarian, Paleo-style, Dairy-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Everyday · Budget-friendly
Cook more with
Ghee · Cumin seeds · Garlic · Dried whole chillies · Asafoetida · Kashmiri chilli powder
Techniques
Sautéing · Tadka (tempering)

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom ghee
  • May contain: Wheatfrom asafoetida
  • May contain: Glutenfrom asafoetida

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

98 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 14 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 2%
  • Carbohydrate 7%
  • Fat 91%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g
Energy98 kcal716 kcal
Protein0.5 g3.4 g
Carbohydrate1.9 g13.8 g
Net carbohydrate1.5 g10.6 g
Sugars——
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre0.4 g3.2 g
Fat10.3 g74.8 g
Saturated fat6.3 g45.6 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol26 mg188 mg
Sodium2 mg16 mg
Salt equivalent0 g0 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
53 mg
Calcium
12 mg
Iron
0.6 mg
Magnesium
4 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
102 µg
Vitamin C
1 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0 µg
Folate (DFE)
1 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • Not counted (tiny amounts or “to taste”): asafoetida.
  • Kashmiri chilli powder: Paprika (FDC 171329) used as a stand-in: Kashmiri chilli is a mild, deep-red chilli powder used mainly for colour.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Garlic keeps cooking in the hot fat after you take it off the heat — pull it at pale gold, not brown.

Common mistakes

  • Burning the cumin or chilli powder, which makes the whole dish bitter.

Serve with

  • Pour over dal, khichdi, raita, chaas or plain yoghurt rice.

Storage

  • Best made fresh, just before serving.

Variations

  • South Indian tadka (India): Coconut oil with mustard seeds, urad dal, dried chilli and curry leaves.
  • Bengali phoron: Mustard oil with panch phoron (fenugreek, nigella, cumin, black mustard and fennel seeds).

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

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Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

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Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in step 2

Make it milder, swap ingredients for your diet, change the batch size or thickness — the original stays as it is.

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