Which Indian cooking technique uses hot oil or ghee with spices poured over a dish at the end? Tadka is the answer. Also called tempering, it involves briefly frying whole spices and aromatics in hot oil or ghee, then pouring the fragrant mixture over a finished dish.
The heat releases essential oils from ingredients such as cumin, mustard seed, fenugreek, dried chillies, curry leaves, garlic, or asafoetida. The sizzling fat carries those aromas across the surface of dal, sambar, stews, and vegetables. Depending on the regional language, related names include tarka, chhonk, baghaar, and phodni.
Although the question describes the finishing version, tadka can also happen at the beginning of cooking. Cooks may fry spices in the pot before adding lentils, vegetables, or other ingredients, allowing the infused fat to flavor the entire dish. The sequence matters: delicate ingredients go in after spices that need longer cooking.
Tadka is not the same as tandoori cooking, bhuna, or dum pukht. Those terms describe different techniques or styles. Nor is it simply a garnish: the hot fat is an active flavor-extraction medium, and the brief cooking can toast spices while changing their aroma.