Thalippu – Seasoning / Tadka

பசிகொண்ட நேரம் தாளிக்கும் ஓசை
சந்தோஷ சங்கீதம்
When you are hungry, the sound of the thalippu (tadka) is happy music!

Finishing up a dish without the happy music of Tadka? Time saving and tasty nonetheless!

For Sambar / Vegetables **
1. Heat 1.5 cups coconut oil on medium flame
2. Add and sauté for a minute
1/2 cup Urad Dal (Black Split Gram)
3. Add 1/2 cup Dried Red Chillies
1/4 cup Methi seeds (Fenugreek)
Saute for a minute
4. Let splutter
1/4 cup Mustard Seeds
1/4 cup Jeera (Cumin) seeds
By now the dal should have turned golden brown. Make sure it doesn’t burn!
Shut off stove.
5. Add 1/2 cup washed and thoroughly dried. curry leaves
1 tsp Asafoetida powder
6. Cool Tadka mixture.

Rasam**
1. Heat 1.5 cups ghee till melted and hot, on medium flame
2. Add 1/2 cup Mustard Seeds
1/2 cup Jeera (cumin) seeds
These should splutter if ghee is hot enough.
Sometimes if it is not, the ghee will just foam when you put this in. This is sufficient as the flavors will infuse in the ghee and produce nearly the same effect.
3. Add 1/4 cup crushed peppercorns
1/2 cup washed and thoroughly dried curry leaves*
1 tsp Asafoetida powder
4. Cool Tadka mixture.

Storage
Divide tadka equally into a silicon ice cube tray with lid***
Refrigerate and use over a month.
These will congeal into squares. You can drop it into any dish as soon as it is cooked. The heat will melt the tadka cube.

Notes
* These may also splutter a lot, especially if they have residual water. Step away as soon as you drop them in!
** Each one has different permutations and combinations of tadka with these ingredients : Experiment and narrow down what works for you as I have 
*** Found on Amazon – where else ?