India

In addition to elaborate curry mixtures, Indian cooks usually start out with a flavor base of very finely chopped onions, garlic, ginger, and hot peppers cooked slowly in oil or butter. The powdered curry is then added and the mixture cooked for a minute or two more to wake up its flavor. Liquid ingredients—usually vegetable, fish, or chicken broth—are then added to the flavor base. Another popular method is to prepare a flavorful spice mixture—called a tadka—made by cooking ground spices and flavorings such as onions and garlic in the Indian-style butter called ghee and whisking this mixture into the soup just before serving.