Chonk?

[Stone]

I remember a show from the early 90s called "Cooking with Korma." Korma was a Western Hari Krishna and he cooked vegetarian Indian food.

He had one show on "chonks." From what I recall, he put dry spices and ghee in a metal ladel and heated it directly over a fire until the ghee flamed. Then he added this to daals or other curries. I've never seen it before or since.

However, I often notice a subtle flavor in some daals, usually chaana daal or yellow lentil, that tastes almost smokey. I wonder if that's where it comes from?

[Suvir Saran]

Chonk, Tadka, Baghaar are all words for tempered oils. Perfumed ghee or oil that is poured on daals and even some raitas and vegetables and meats to finish a dish.

[Suvir Saran]

Korma was a Western Hari Krishna

What is Western Hari Krishna?

What is Korma?

[Suvir Saran]

He had one show on "chonks."  From what I recall, he put dry spices and ghee in a metal ladel and heated it directly over a fire until the ghee flamed.  Then he added this to daals or other curries.  I've never seen it before or since.

However, I often notice a subtle flavor in some daals, usually chaana daal or yellow lentil, that tastes almost smokey.  I wonder if that's where it comes from?

Every Indian home has their own recipe for such Chonks/Tadka/Baghaar or Chaunka.

Daals are the most common dishes where these tempered oils are used as finishing garnishes.

Some dishes employ their application both at the begining and end of cooking.

These are also used in the making of chutneys. Coconut chutney is one such example.

I make a lamb stew which I finish with a garnish of a tadka.

Kadhi, a famous yogurt and chickpea flour based sauce served with chickpea flour dumplings is famous across the north. A somewhat similar but yet very distinct Kadhi is also made in Gujarat, both of these employ the finishing with a Tadka.

[anil]

....

What is Western Hari Krishna?

What is Korma?

It is actually an ITV production - Cooking with Kurma - Do not confuse this with the British ITV, This is Iskcon Television. Essentially these are Videos made by Iskcon for Hare Krishna movement Here is a link http://www.itvproductions.net/index.html

[anil]

.....  Then he added this to daals or other curries.  I've never seen it before or since.

However, I often notice a subtle flavor in some daals, usually chaana daal or yellow lentil, that tastes almost smokey.  I wonder if that's where it comes from?

The chonk is the style; the concoction is called "Tardka" or "tarka" In many nort-indian cooking a tardka-masala is considered a must in atleast one dish at dinner, vegetarian or otherwise.