Why Kosher Indian?

We have a story from the Torah (the Jewish Bible), at least one story about caravans traveling through the Middle East. We're to assume that vendors driving camels sold spices. It wasn't an easy living, but it was, after all, a living. Everyone loved salt and pepper, and certainly cloves and nutmeg, ginger. And so much more! Spice has always been the rage.

Where did the caravans-- where did the spices come from? Perhaps anywhere and everywhere, but most certainly from India.  
India-- where the spices my forefathers craved (we're sure of it!) came from

And yet, how many Jews do you know who have a spice rack with primarily ingredients designated for none other than Indian cuisine? Other than turmeric and cumin, I'm saying.

How many Jews do you know who can define tarka? Or even tarda? Or who begin to salivate at the very mention?

Tarka-- just a drizzle of cumin
And isn't it crazy that the "r" in tarka, and the "d" in tarda are interchangeable as is often the case in the Talmud?

Not a coincidence, I am sure. Who influenced whom is anyone's guess.

A tarka (tarda) is a drizzle for soups. Cumin seeds are gently toasted (not burned) in oil to a golden brown. Add a little salt and this little drizzle enhances a soup flavored with dill and mint.  How many Jewish recipes call for dill and mint? Do you see why this would be a vital recipe to have? (The soup will be for another day). 


The purpose of this blog is multi-fold, but let's tell over the first today.

Maybe it's narcissism, but I hate learning something and not passing it on, so that's what will be happening here, the transmission of knowledge. Although I feel like I'm the last to learn about cardamom.

As I learn to cook Kosher Indian, you can, too. It's been an obsession for two months now, a difficult habit to break. Tonight, just to mix it up a bit, I fried some store bought vegeburgers with onions and toasted buns (topped with sesame seeds). But that soup we just talked about, yes, that was the side.



The Kosher Indian


Comments