This is why every traditional Ayurvedic recipe starts with spices being tempered in ghee. (Ghee, also known as “gut butter,” is Ayurveda’s cooking fat of choice.) Spice can also be used to enhance heat. Often, Ayurvedic recipes call for throwing in a cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cloves, or cardamom pod to foods like rice, legumes, and soup that require boiling. While sautéing, whole spices can also be tempered in oil. Using powdered spices like black pepper, cinnamon, etc., during cooking also works.
