What’s in your dabba? The most commonly used spices to include in your Masala Dabba / spice treasure box!
Spices are are quintessential for Indian cooking. Recipes are incomplete without spices, whether its warm ones used for desserts or spicy ones used for curries. Used whole or as ground powders, most kitchens have a Masala Dabba or spice box that is used to store them. The masala dabba is a large container with a lid that houses smaller ones (typically 7) inside that can be filled with various spices. When cooking rather than bringing out multiple containers, this 1 dabba saves you time and makes it easy to access 7 items all at once. If you are serious about learning Indian cooking then you should invest in one of these, available at Indian grocery stores or online at Amazon.
There are way too many spices to choose from, so which ones should you include in your dabba? For beginners, who are just starting their new kitchen: I would recommend the following most common ones, a mix of whole and powdered spices:
- Whole Cumin Seeds
- Whole black Mustard seeds
- Cinnamon sticks
- Salt
- Turmeric (haldi) powder
- Cumin & Coriander powder (I use cumin/coriander together so I buy it premade into 1 mix)
- Garam Masala powder
Dabba #1: Whole Spices:
- Cinnamon sticks / Taj (round or flat, whichever you prefer)
- Black Peppercorns / Mari
- Cloves / Lavang
- Green Cardamom / Elaichi
- Large Black Cardamom / Elcho
- Cumin seeds / Jeera
- Black Mustard seeds / Rai
- Salt
- Turmeric powder / Haldi
- Cumin & Coriander powder / Dhana Jeera (I use cumin/coriander together so I buy it premade into 1 mix)
- Chana Masala (Yes! I use it a lot, its a great general spice mix for many things, I prefer MDH brand)
- Garam Masala powder
- Red Chili powder (for hot spice) / Lal mirch
- Here you have a choice, pick one you think you will use most often: Methi seeds, Kasuri Methi, Paprika powder (for color) or whole dried red chilis (not hot, just for flavoring)
Of course if you have a special family spice mix, you can include it in place of any of the above that you think you will use less frequently.
Besides the daily use spices for your dabbas mentioned above, there are a few other notable premixed spices I recommend having on hand. These can be stored individually as you will not be using them daily. My brand preferences are noted for some. (Please note, I do not get incentivized for recommending any specific brands.)
- Kasuri Methi – MDH (transfer to container and store in freezer for longer life)
- Tandoori Masala powder – Rajah or Kisna Foods
- Sambhar Masala powder – Aachi
- Rasam Masala Powder – Aachi
- Dhanshak Masala Powder (used a lot in Parsi style dal) – Badshah
- Pav Bhaji Masala Powder (great in any vegetable curries) – MDH
- Madras Curry powder (mild) – typically very SPICY, look for mild! – MDH or Rajah
- Methi Mutter Malai packet – Rasoi Magic
- Chaat Masala – MDH or Shan
- Seekh Kabob Masala – Shan, Laziza or National
- Tikka Botti Masala – Shan, Laziza or National
- Bombay Biryani Masala – Shan
- Fish Curry Masala – Shan
- You can certainly grind the spices yourself at home from the whole spices or just buy them already powdered from the store, your choice.
- Be sure everything including storage containers are dry. Moisture will cause spices to go bad quicker.
- Also ensure it is stored in a tight sealed container to preserve the fragrance of the spices. The longer it sits on the shelf, the spices will lose its flavor and fragrance. Bu 6 months the spices will lose their flavor, color, and fragrance.