Garnishing Technique of India

Chaunk (Hindi), Thaalithal (Tamil), Oggarane (Kannada), Vaghaar (Gujarati), Baghaar (Urdu), Popu (Andra Pradesh) is used to describe a specific garnishing technique typically used in Indian cooking. This process involves adding whole spices to oil to release essential oils and increase the flavors.

The typical ingredients used include:

1.   Asafoetida, Inguva

What is it? Dried exudate from the tap root of ferula
Medicinal use: Anti-bacterial

2.   Mustard Seeds

• Nutritional content: B vitamins, vitamin E, Calcium, Manganese, Iron, Selenium
• Medicinal uses: the oil from mustard seeds has been used to relieve muscle and arthritic pain. The seeds themselves act as an laxative. 

3.   Curry Leaves (Hindi), Barsunga (Bengali), Limdo (Gujarati), Kadhilimbu (Marathi), Karivepku (Telugu)

• Nutritional content: Vitamins A, B, C, B2, Calcium, Iron
• Medicinal uses: The bark and roots act as a stimulant, anti-diabetic, cholesterol reducing, antiulcer activity and anti-diarrhea if eaten. They can be applied externally to treat bites from poisonous animals. Lastly the curry leaves are used in a calcium deficiency. 

4.     Dried Red Chili 

• Nutritional content: Vitamins A, B complex, and C, flavonoids
• Medicinal uses: The main component of red chilies is capsaicin, which gives the strong pungent component. Capsaicin has an anti-bacterial, anti-carcinogenic, analgesic, and anti-diabetic properties. 

5.     Urad Daal (black and white)

• Urad dal is the prized pulse of India and is grown in the coastal regions of Andra Pradesh. This daal when harvested has a black skin and is called kali daal, which is used to make dishes like Daal Makhani. The kali daal is then skinned and halved. This daal is then used to make dishes like dosa. 

References: 

http://www.asianpharmaonline.org/AJPR/2_AJPR_2_2_2012.pdf