Description
South Asian cooking technique
Technical
Tempering is a cooking technique used in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka in which whole spices are cooked briefly in oil or ghee to liberate essential oils from cells and thus enhance their flavours, before being poured, together with the oil, into a dish. Tempering is also practiced by dry-roasting whole spices in a pan before grinding the spices. Tempering is typically done at the beginning of cooking, before adding the other ingredients for a curry or similar dish, or it may be done at the end for adding to a dish just before serving.
Science
Primary Reaction
Maillard Reaction
Sensory Profile
Aroma ()
Taste
Texture
Wine Analogy
Like decanting a bold red wine to release complex aromas
Coffee Analogy
Similar to blooming coffee grounds to enhance flavor extraction
Perfume Analogy
Comparable to top notes in oriental fragrances
Culinary Applications
Dietary
Molecular Pairing
Key Compounds Produced