Tempering (spices)

Tempering is like a magic trick for spices. You know how sometimes you don't like something that tastes really strong or spicy? But sometimes you try something and it's still spicy, but it tastes really good? That's what tempering does.

So, let's say you have a bowl of soup that is too bland, and you want to make it taste better. You can add some spices to give it some flavor. But if you just dump a whole bunch of spices in all at once, it might be too strong and you won't be able to taste anything else.

That's where tempering comes in. You take a little bit of oil or ghee (which is like butter) in a pan and heat it up. Then, you add your spices - maybe some cumin, mustard seeds or turmeric. You let them sizzle in the oil for a little bit until they become fragrant and start to pop. This is called "blooming" the spices.

Once the spices are bloomed, you pour this mixture into your soup (or whatever dish you're making) and mix it all together. This will infuse the soup with the flavors of the spices, but because you tempered them, they won't be too strong or overwhelming.

Tempering is like slowly easing your way into a hot bath, instead of just jumping in all at once. It's a way to make sure your food tastes great without it being too overwhelming.