1# Indian techniques
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 3**Tadka / tempering**: whole spices in hot fat, sometimes at the beginning, sometimes poured over at the end. It extracts and carries aroma; it is not garnish.
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 5**Bhuna / frying masala**: cook the base until rawness leaves and fat separates. But not all dishes use onion-tomato masala, and some communities avoid onion and garlic entirely.
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 7**Dum**: sealed, gentle steaming/braising, especially rice/meat dishes. The point is trapped aroma and gentle cooking, not just low heat.
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 9**Fermentation**: dosa/idli batters, pickles, yogurt, and regional fermented foods. Fermentation changes flavor, texture, and digestibility.
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11**Pressure cooking**: practical and common for dals, legumes, meats, and weeknight cooking. Don't treat it as less legitimate than a long simmer when the dish's logic survives.
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13**Pickles, chutneys, achar**: not garnish; often the acid, heat, and texture that complete the plate.
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15**Tandoor/high-heat charring**: central for many northern restaurant-style dishes, breads, and kebabs, but not all Indian food. A broiler or very hot grill can approximate char if labeled honestly.