What Goes Into an Indian Spice Box
One Christmas my friend gifted me an Indian spice box or masala box. I was super stoked because I was interested in exploring Indian cooking and this made it easy to whip up recipes with ingredients I had on hand.
Indian food is super fragrant and delicious. And with spices at your disposal, you can create all sorts of dishes when you are craving Indian food.
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Masala typically means ground spice mix, but a masala spice box may have single spices in it such as cumin or turmeric.
See also:
Essentials spices: what to put in your spice cabinet
Best items to buy in bulk
How to Assemble a Masala Spice Box
Step 1: Buy a Spice Box or Tiffin
Purchase a spice box or tiffin. We were able to find some 7 container tiffins on Amazon. There are 10 cup tiffins but we find that our 7 cup tiffins provide enough spice to get creative in the kitchen.
Step 2: Buy Spices to Fill Your Tiffins
You can buy spices at an Indian grocery store or online at Apna Bazar Stores. When traveling internationally, you’ll be able to go to outdoor markets to open spices. We typically buy spices overseas because they are cheaper and make great souvenirs.
Sometimes you may even be able to find spices on Amazon. When buying from Amazon, be sure to purchase from a brand called Everest, Rani or Deep Spices.
Here are the spices that go into an Indian spice or masala box. We listed the most popular spices used first.
- Turmeric
- Coriander Powder
- Cumin Seeds
- Cumin Powder
- Yellow Mustard Seeds
- Garam Masala (blend)
- Fenugreek or Methi Seeds
- Red Chili Powder (can get different heat levels based on your tastes)
- Cinnamon (ground or whole)
- Cardamom (pods or ground)
- Cloves (whole)
- Star Anise (whole)
Step 3: Fill your Tiffin Cups with Spices
We recommend filling your tiffin cups about 1/2 way so that it prevents any spillage. Wrap the rest of your spices up or share them as gifts!
Indian spice boxes make great gifts for your friends who are wanting to explore cooking Indian cuisine.
Final Thoughts
Indian spice boxes are super convenient to have around the home. Don’t be afraid to try your own recipes. We typically season our chicken with Indian spices and salt and pepper to create spring folls, eat with rice, or just add to a salad.
The possibilities are endless when you have the right spices and seasonings. Give it a try and tag us at #goodhomechef so that we can follow along.
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