You already have the ingredients in your pantry.

My mother claims its too watery to count as proper dal and teasingly calls it dal soup.

How To Make a Tarka

The beauty of a tarka is its adaptability.

Overhead view of a bowl of creamy soup garnished with croutons and oil

Simply Recipes / Mihaela Kozaric Sebrek

Heat the fat in a small pan until it shimmers.

Add whole spices, like cumin or mustard seeds, and let them sizzle until fragrant.

Drizzle a teaspoon of the tarka over each bowl of soup just before serving.

An overhead view of a spoon of spices in oil being held over spices blooming in oil in a small skillet/pan

Simply Recipes / Karishma Prad

It looks so pretty with the glossy oil and specks of spices and aromatics.

I start by heating a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil, and throw in a knob of butter.

Plus, my family loves the crunch of the garlic!

This fragrant tarka isnt limited to squash soups.

Try it onbroccoli cheddar soup,creamy cauliflower soup, orpotato soup.

Other Ways To Use a Tarka

Tarka isnt just for soups!

Drizzle it over steamed basmati rice, on yogurt-based dips, or hummus.

I hope you will try this upgrade and come up with your own favorite combinations.