Heat the oil. Hold HEAT (left side, or up-arrow) to raise the flame. Each spice wants a different heat band, shown pale on the gauge.
Add at the band. When the flame sits in the band, tap ACT (right side, or space) to drop the spice in.
Toss at the bloom. It sizzles and swells. Tap ACT at the top of the ring to lock the flavor. Wait too long and it chars.
Serve the curry. More heat means a bigger, faster bloom but a narrower window. Finish a curry to buy more time. The clock is the only thing that ends you.