Jim Dixon wrote about food for WW for more than 20 years, but these days most of his time is spent at his olive oil-focused specialty food business Wellspent Market. Jim’s always loved to eat, and he encourages his customers to cook by sending them recipes every week through his newsletter. We’re happy to have him back creating some special dishes just for WW readers.

Tadka, usually translated as tempering, is the Indian method of cooking spices and aromatic vegetables, like garlic and chiles, in hot fat. While the clarified butter called ghee is more traditional, I use extra-virgin olive oil. This Serious Eats article, by molecular biologist turned cookbook author Nik Sharma, provides a deep dive into the science of tadka. Essentially, flavor molecules in spices and aromatics can be enhanced by the simple technique.

Basically a tomato sauce, this tadka could flavor anything from vegetables to pasta, but to keep things at least loosely connected to the subcontinent, I usually eat it with the lentil dish called dal. You’ll need lentils that have had their husks removed, a process called decortication that’s rarely noted on the label. But it’s typically done with red or green lentils, some of which are split like dried peas, (which can also be used for dal). French green lentils, sometimes labeled du Puy, Spanish pardina lentils, and most Italian brown lentils typically retain their husks, so they remain intact when cooked. In the long run, either would be fine, but the texture of the cooked lentils can be different.

Making dal is easy. Cook a cup of lentils in 3 cups of water with a little salt until they’re soft and broken down. The tadka can be stirred into the lentils to flavor them, but I like to spoon it over them. Choose your own culinary adventure, and, if you like, serve it over rice and add a dollop of plain yogurt.

Tomato Tadka With Dal

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon turmeric

2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh ginger

1 medium shallot, chopped

1 jalapeño, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 cup crushed or ground tomatoes*

Salt to taste

Lentil dal, rice, and yogurt to serve.

*You can substitute 2-3 chopped fresh Roma tomatoes, but cook the tadka for another 10 minutes after adding them

Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium high. Add the cumin, fennel, and mustard seeds and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently. The seeds can pop, so keep a lid or splatter screen handy. Add the turmeric and cook for another minute. Taste and add salt.