How To Pick The Best Masalas: An Expert Guide

When we talk about food in India, masala becomes a very indispensable ingredient.

From Kashmir in the North to Kanyakumari down South, and then from Gujarat in the West to Arunachal Pradesh in the East, all the secret of tasty curries lies in the use of various blend of masalas.

The aroma of these masalas often arouse our hunger and draw us closer to where these foods are being served.

It isn't just about the aromas, but masalas are loaded with health benefits as well.

For instance, cumin is rich in iron content, which is very beneficial for the body. Coriander helps lower the cholesterol level and also controls the blood sugar level. Cardamom, on the other hand, helps in treating cough and bronchitis.

Now, the most worrying fact is, "how do we choose the best of masalas?"

"How do we know whether a particular masala is good or bad?"

"How do we differentiate the good masala from a bad one?"

Now, don't ponder on these questions a lot. Here is a simple guide for you to choose and pick the best masala in the market, keeping in mind all the benefits that you can reap from it. Take a look at the below pointers.

1. Keep in mind to check for the manufactured date:

When you choose a masala, make it a point to check for the date of packaging. The packaging date can be related to the freshness of the masala. The taste of a 1-2-month packaging will obviously be more fresh when compared to 6-8-month packaging. Pick your masala carefully.

2. Next, make sure to check the content listed on the packaging:

Checking out for the content/ingredients is one of the foremost things you need to do, while picking the best of masalas. For example, when you look for chilli powder, check for the presence of Capsaicin in it. Capsaicin is one natural ingredient that makes the chilli powder a lot more hot. In case of turmeric powder, check if it has curcumin in it. Curcumin is one of the natural yellow ingredients that is present in turmeric, which helps ease pain and inflammation and gives the yellow colour. Fortunately, masalas by Tata Sampann, specially the red chilli powder and turmeric powder that have these ingredients, are said to the best in the industry today and that is the reason it is the preferred choice of top chefs & are also recommended by most of the food experts.

3. Check if the natural oils are kept intact in the masalas:

Usually the natural spice oil from the masalas are extracted and what is left behind is just the 'Spent' masala. Make it a point to choose a masala that has its natural spice oils intact, only then you will get the purest taste of the masala. This is where Tata Sampann differs from the rest of the masalas that are available in the market. Tata Sampann masalas are filled with natural spice oils, and thus give the dish a wholesome, rich flavour.

4. Do check if the masalas are sourced from the best of farms:

Masalas need to be sourced from the best of farms, and from the best of varieties, in order to get that original flavour and taste. That's why we suggest Tata Sampann. It gets the selective masalas from the region known to sow the best varieties. For example, pepper from the Malabar region of Kerala, Turmeric from Salem in Tamil Nadu, and the spicy chilly from the Hilly Region.

5. Finally, choose the one which promises to give you a multiple-pouch packaged product:

In order to get the same freshness and taste in the masalas every time you open, check out for the masala blends that contain a multiple-pouch packaging. Tata Sampann, in this way, brings to you a 5-pouch packaging for each of the masala blends that you pick from. Every time you open one, you will still get the same freshness, richness and goodness, which is kept intact.

We suggest Tata Sampann masalas, as these are hand-crafted masalas that promise to provide you innovative masala blends, like no one else. Chef Sanjeev Kapoor himself has created these blends.

If you would like to know more on what are the best features of the Tata Sampann masalas, see the below video.