Tarka

Tarka — also called chhonk, baghar or vagar across South Asia — is the technique of frying whole spices, garlic or chili in hot ghee or oil and pouring the lot, sizzling, over a finished dish. It's an extra step at the very end, and it transforms the flavour profile by introducing fat-bloomed aromatics that simply can't develop while a sauce is simmering. For a dal, melt ghee in a small pan, drop in cumin seeds, dried red chili and chopped garlic; the moment the garlic turns gold, kill the heat and pour onto the dal. The audible sizzle when it hits the surface is part of the dish.