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Gujarati cuisine is a very important part of the overall culinary tradition of India. So many snacks and main course dishes from Gujarat have travelled to the rest of the world and become extremely popular. In India, the concept of tadka or tempering, as it is called in English, goes back in time. It is a method of seasoning a particular dish with a splash of oil and spices.
This step instantly transforms the way a dish tastes and makes it a lot more indulgent and appetising. In Gujarat, vaghar is a similar technique that is used to add an additional layer of depth to the dishes. Mastering the art of vaghar means conquering the task of learning how to cook Gujarati food to a large extent, as vaghar is used to give flavour to the majority of Gujarati dishes. Here is how one can make sure that they learn how to make and use vaghar.
* The Type Of Oil
The first step in this process is choosing the right kind of oil for making vaghar. Oil is a conspicuous part of making vaghar and traditionally, people in Gujarat like to use either mustard oil or sesame oil for making the same. Both of these oils are very potent and thus help in imparting a distinctive flavour to the dishes. However, for people who do not like such a strong tempering flavour in their food, they can go for a milder option such as ghee or butter, which is lighter in taste.
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* Spices
The amount of spices and what kind of spices a person is using while making vaghar also make a huge difference in the overall taste of the dish. In Gujarati households, people typically like to add basic spices, such as fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, and cumin seeds, to either mustard oil or sesame oil. The selection of the spices is done based on both the flavour and the aroma that they add to the food. One should make sure that the oil is on medium heat so that the seeds instantly start fluttering as soon as they're added to the oil. However, the oil shouldn't be so hot that it ends up burning the seeds.
* Take Care Of The Heat
Taking care of the temperature of the oil while making vaghar is crucial, as if the oil is too hot, it might end up burning the spices. So a person must make sure that the temperature of the oil is medium and not too high so that it doesn't instantly burn the spices. Also, the temperature of the oil should be hot enough so that it can at least splatter the spices so that they don't remain underdeveloped. The oil should be able to allow the spices to develop and get seasoned slowly.
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* Aromatic Spices
A lot of people believe that the very purpose of vaghar is to add spices and flavour to the food. However, vaghar performs the dual function of adding both spices and aroma to the food. It is made up of different types of aromatic ingredients, such as ginger, garlic, green chillies, curry leaves, and other ingredients that instantly change the way a particular dish smells. A crucial aspect of a good dish is not just its taste but also how well it smells. This will also help in making the flavour of the dish a lot more complex and multilayered.
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* Order Of Adding Spices
The next important step is to understand the order in which spices are added to the oil. Many people believe that randomly throwing spices into mustard oil is going to make the most perfect vaghar. This, however, is not true at all, as one has to properly follow a chronological order in which they add spices to the oil. One has to start with adding ingredients, such as mustard seeds, that take a longer time to develop their flavours. Next, one can add cumin seeds, followed by green chillies and curry leaves, which take less time to add flavour to the oil and develop very quickly.
* Variety
Although the conventional vaghar recipe consists of only a preset list of spices and ingredients, one can always try to experiment with different types of condiments. There are a lot of ingredients, such as turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and hing, that can add an extremely powerful flavour to the seasoning. It also may depend on the type of dish that one is making.
