Traditional Indian Cooking Methods and Secrets

Ancient pottery workshop nestled in a vibrant mountain village

• Basic Techniques

  Core cooking techniques essential for any Indian kitchen

  • Spice Tempering (Tadka)

    Heating spices in hot oil or ghee to release essential oils.

  • Dough Kneading

    Mixing atta (wheat flour) for breads like roti and naan.

  • Marinating

    Using yogurt, spices, and herbs to marinate meats and vegetables.

  • Dum Cooking

    Slow cooking, sealing the vessel with dough to trap flavors.

  • Steaming

    Using a steamer or idli maker for dishes like idlis and dhoklas.

• Cookware

  Traditional utensils and cookware used in Indian cooking

  • Tava

    A flat, disc-like frying pan used for making flatbreads.

  • Kadai

    A deep cooking pot for frying and simmering curries.

  • Handi

    A pot typically used for cooking biryanis under dum.

  • Mortar and Pestle

    Used for grinding spices and making pastes.

  • Chakla and Belan

    A circular board and rolling pin for rolling doughs.

• Ingredient Preparations

  Preparation of key ingredients commonly used in Indian recipes

  • Masala Making

    Blending spices to create different masalas like garam masala.

  • Paste Preparation

    Making ginger-garlic or onion-tomato pastes used as bases.

  • Ghee Clarification

    Clarifying butter to produce ghee, used in various dishes.

  • Paneer Making

    Curdling milk with acid to create fresh paneer cheese.

• Special Techniques

  Advanced or less common techniques in traditional Indian cooking

  • Smoking (Dhungar)

    Infusing a smoky flavor using coal and ghee.

  • Saffron Usage

    Proper methods to extract flavor and color from saffron.

  • Banana Leaf Cooking

    Using banana leaves to wrap and cook food for added flavor.