In India, while staples like garam masala and pav bhaji masala grace our kitchen shelves, a fresh wave of ready-to-use artisanal blends simplifies the process of cooking delicious meals, eliminating the need to stock up on individual spices or grind them freshly for each dish.

Here’s a look at a few artisanal blends designed to elevate your home cooking experience to new heights.

Paushtik

Spearheaded by Aashina Kaul and Zainab Burmawalla, the newly launched brand boasts Chef Prateek Sadhu, renowned for his work at Masque, as their advisor. With his expertise in ingredient procurement, Sadhu has laid the foundation for this brand’s success. They believe in promoting all natural, sustainable and locally sourced spices and spice blends. In addition to pav bhaji masala, they offer a range of other blends including Kolhapuri masala, all-purpose curry masala, chole masala, sambar masala, chicken and fish masala, and more.

Kanz and Muhul

Kanz & Muhul pays homage to the rich Kashmiri heritage, which translates to mortar and pestle in Kashmiri. The brand is dedicated to preserving the essence of Kashmiri cuisine and culture. So whether you’re aiming to make authentic rogan josh or yakhni, their collection of ready-to-use spice blends is a must-try. These blends aren’t pre-mixed; instead, they empower you to experiment in the kitchen, exercising your culinary creativity. Additionally, they offer Vaer masala, a quintessential Kashmiri mix comprising cinnamon, cloves, peppercorn and a medley of other aromatic spices, representing the true essence of the region.

Sundooq

Founded by creative entrepreneur Virkein Dhar, Sundooq specialises in transforming heirloom Indian recipes into a convenient ready-to-cook/eat format. This eliminates the complexity of sourcing the right ingredients, maintaining proportions and mastering cooking techniques while preserving experience and taste of a home-cooked meal. Their recipes are sourced from mothers and grandmthe authenticothers, who have been the keepers of traditional food knowledge for generations and are masters of nutrition and proportion. For instance, their gassi blend, containing a harmonious blend of spices, flavours and dried coconut, ready to be combined with freshly made coconut milk. Sundooq embraces diversity, evident in offerings such as the Meghalayan dohneiiong blend, featuring black sesame seeds, pepper, dried ginger flakes, dried pink onion and bird’s eye chili.

Arqa Ayurveda

Arqa Ayurveda by Foodhall comprises a collection of the purest spices inspired by the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda. They have introduced a new product: kadha mix aimed at aiding in the fight against seasonal colds and flus. This blend incorporates a variety of seeds and herbs such as carom, mint, fennel, turmeric, cloves and more, all renowned for their immune-boosting properties.

Do you know of any other artisanal spice brands? Tell us in the comment below.