Under €2

Haldiram Palak Paneer is a ready-to-eat curry of paneer cubes in a smooth spinach gravy, sealed in a pouch that needs no refrigeration until opened. The gravy is mild and creamy rather than fiery, and the paneer stays soft through heating.

Best for

• Serving with naan, roti or rice
• A quick vegetarian dinner
• Office lunches and travel

How to cook it

Immerse the unopened pouch in boiling water for four to five minutes, or pour the contents into a pan and heat gently for three to four minutes, stirring so the spinach does not catch. In the microwave, cover and heat for about two minutes. Stir well before serving.

Pack and storage

300 g pouch. Store in a cool, dry place. Refrigerate leftovers and finish them the same day. Contains dairy.

Priya Amla Pickle is Indian gooseberry, cut in pieces and pickled in oil with chilli and mustard, made without garlic. Amla is astringent and very sour on its own; the salt and oil round it out, leaving a puckering tartness that stays on the tongue well after the mouthful.

Best for

• Curd rice
• Plain hot rice with ghee
• Dal and rice, or khichdi

Serving

One piece at a time is plenty, particularly if amla is new to you, as the astringency is stronger than in a mango or lime pickle. Use a dry spoon and press the pieces back under the oil before the jar is closed, since anything above the oil line spoils first. Serve it alongside something plain and starchy rather than with another sour dish.

Pack and storage

300g jar. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening.

Priya Mango Avakaya Pickle is the Andhra mango pickle: raw mango cut in pieces and cured in mustard, chilli powder and oil. This is the version made without garlic, for kitchens that keep garlic out. The taste is hot, salty and sour all at once, with the mustard coming through clearly behind the chilli.

Best for

• Hot rice with a spoon of ghee
• Curd rice
• Dosa, idli and chapati

Serving

Avakaya is meant to be eaten in small quantities, so serve a modest spoonful at the side of the plate rather than mixing it through the whole meal. Always use a dry spoon and press the pieces back down afterwards so the oil covers the pickle again, because anything sitting above the oil line is what spoils first. If the oil has thickened in a cold kitchen, let the jar stand at room temperature for a while before serving.

Pack and storage

300g jar. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening.

MDH Pani Puri Masala is the sour, salty, mint-and-cumin blend used to make the spiced water for pani puri. It is built around tang rather than heat, with roasted cumin and black salt doing most of the work.

Best for

• Pani for pani puri and golgappa
• Jaljeera-style chilled drinks
• Sprinkling over chaat, fruit or boiled potato

Using it

Stir about two tablespoons into a litre of cold water with tamarind pulp and a little jaggery, then leave it for twenty to thirty minutes so the flavour comes together. Strain it, add chopped mint and coriander and chill it thoroughly before serving. Adjust tamarind and salt to taste rather than adding more masala, which can turn the water muddy.

Pack and storage

100g pack. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening.

Schani Cumin Powder is ground jeera — warm, earthy and faintly bitter, one of the two or three spices an Indian kitchen never runs out of. 100g.

Ground cumin goes in where whole seeds would be too coarse: into curry and sabzi masalas, dal, chole, rajma and kebab mixes, into raita, buttermilk and jaljeera, and dusted over chaat and fruit. It is also a backbone of garam masala and of most Middle Eastern and Mexican spice blends.

Add it to the pan with the onions and tomatoes rather than at the very start, since ground cumin scorches faster than the whole seed. Keep the pack tightly closed in a cool, dark cupboard — ground spice loses its aroma quickly once air gets to it.

Udhaiyam Brown Lentils in the 500g pack are whole masoor, skin on, for a household that cooks them occasionally rather than weekly. The skin is what keeps them intact in the pot, so unlike split red lentils they finish as separate lentils in a broth rather than as a thick purée.

Best for

• Whole masoor dal
• Soups, stews and warm lentil salads
• Khichdi where the grain should stay distinct

How to cook it

Rinse and check for stones. Thirty minutes of soaking helps but is not required. In a pressure cooker, two and a half parts water to one part lentils for three or four whistles; in an open pot, thirty-five to forty minutes at a simmer with the lid ajar. Add salt towards the end rather than at the start, and temper with cumin, garlic and chilli in hot ghee just before serving.

Pack and storage

500g pack. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening, in an airtight container.

Aachi Mutton Masala is a premium blend of aromatic spices crafted for rich mutton preparations. Its complex spice profile with whole spice extracts ensures an authentic, restaurant-quality mutton gravy every time.

• Premium whole spice extract blend for mutton
• Restaurant-quality flavor at home
  

Aachi Meat Masala is a bold, all-purpose spice blend formulated for red meat curries. It combines whole spice extracts with chilli and coriander to deliver a deep, robust flavour to beef, lamb and pork dishes.

• All-purpose masala for beef, lamb and pork
• Deep, robust spice character
  

Haldiram Choley is a ready-to-eat chickpea curry in a dark, tangy north Indian gravy, sealed in a shelf-stable pouch. The chickpeas hold their shape while the gravy carries the sourness of amchur and a steady background heat.

Best for

• Serving with bhature, puri or rice
• A fast meal when the kitchen is closed
• Travel and packed lunches

How to cook it

Heat the sealed pouch in boiling water for four to five minutes, or empty it into a pan and warm through for three to four minutes, stirring occasionally. A covered bowl in the microwave takes about two minutes. Loosen with a little hot water if the gravy has thickened.

Pack and storage

300 g pouch. Store in a cool, dry place. Once opened, refrigerate leftovers and eat the same day.

TRS Garam Masala is the ground blend of warm spices — the finishing masala rather than a base one. Where turmeric and chilli go in at the start of a dish, garam masala is what you stir in near the end to lift the aroma.

Best for

• Finishing curries, dals and vegetable dishes
• Kebab mixes, koftas and marinades
• Chole, rajma and rich meat gravies

Using it

Add half a teaspoon in the last two or three minutes of cooking, or sprinkle it over just before serving — long boiling flattens the aroma and can leave a bitter edge. Use it alongside coriander and cumin powder, not instead of them; it is there for perfume, not for body. Keep the jar tightly shut, as ground blends fade quickly.

Pack and storage

100 g. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening.

Annam Plain Papadam (4") is the small, unseasoned papad served alongside a rice meal or handed round with drinks. Cooked properly it puffs and blisters within seconds and stays brittle right through, with a clean salty taste and none of the cumin or pepper of the flavoured versions. The four inch size is the one that sits on a thali, where each person takes one or two rather than sharing a large disc. Roast it over a low gas flame or in a dry pan, turning constantly for twenty to thirty seconds a side until it lightens and curls, or deep fry it for a few seconds in hot oil and drain it upright. It softens in humid air, so cook only as many as you will eat at once.

Best with

• Rice with sambar, rasam or curd
• Crushed over salads and chaat
• Drinks, with a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of chilli

Pack and storage

150g pack. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening.

Udhaiyam Urid Chilka is split black gram with the black skin left on, so the grains are cream-coloured and flecked with dark husk. It holds its shape better than skinned urid and cooks to a creamy dal with a fuller, earthier flavour and a slight bite from the skin.

Best for

• Everyday urad dal tempered with cumin and garlic
• Punjabi-style dal with tomato and ginger
• Rustic dosa and vada batter where you want the flecks

How to cook it

Rinse two or three times, then soak thirty minutes to an hour to soften the skins. Pressure cook one cup with three cups of water for four to five whistles and let the pressure drop on its own — the grains should mash easily against the side of the pan. Finish with a tempering of ghee, cumin, dried red chilli, garlic and asafoetida poured over the top, then simmer a few minutes more so it thickens.

Pack and storage

500g pack. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening.

Aachi Dhal Garlic Rice Powder is a savory seasoning powder made with roasted dal, garlic, chilli and spices to transform plain rice into the South Indian favourite 'dal rice'. Quick, easy and packed with flavour.

• Instant dal-garlic seasoning for plain rice
• Rich garlicky and spiced flavour
• 
  

This is white onion, called Gemuesezwiebel in German and safed pyaz in Hindi. It has pale, papery skin and white flesh, with a milder, sweeter flavour than red onion, especially when cooked.

It is used in the same way as other onions, as a base for curries and gravies, and works especially well in dishes where a lighter colour and gentler flavour are wanted, as well as in German cooking such as soups and roasts.

How to use

• Peel off the papery outer skin before chopping or slicing.
• Cook gently over medium heat to bring out its natural sweetness.
• Store in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place, not the fridge; it keeps for several weeks.

Haldiram Rajma Raseela is a ready-to-eat kidney bean curry in a thick onion and tomato gravy, sealed in a pouch that keeps without refrigeration. The beans are cooked soft enough to give way under a spoon, and the gravy is loose rather than dry, so it sits well over rice.

Best for

• A hot meal on a weeknight with no cooking
• Serving with steamed rice or roti
• Travel, hostels and office lunches

How to cook it

Put the unopened pouch in boiling water for four to five minutes, or tip the contents into a pan and heat for three to four minutes over a medium flame, stirring now and then. In a microwave, cover the bowl and heat for around two minutes, stirring halfway. Add a splash of water if you want a thinner gravy.

Pack and storage

300 g pouch. Store in a cool, dry place. Refrigerate anything left over and finish it the same day.

Annam Black Pepper Papadam carries cracked black pepper through the dough, giving a sharp, warming bite that plain papad does not have. The heat is peppery rather than chilli heat, so it builds slowly and clears quickly, and it stands up well next to mild food such as curd rice or a coconut-based curry. Roast it over a low gas flame or in a dry pan, turning constantly for twenty to thirty seconds a side until it lightens and curls, or deep fry it for a few seconds and drain it upright. Serve it soon after cooking, while it is at its most brittle.

Best with

• Curd rice, rasam and mild coconut curries
• Masala papad with onion, tomato and coriander
• Drinks, on its own as a peppery snack

Pack and storage

200g pack. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening.

Berchtesgadener Land - Bergbauer Frischmilch ESL 3,5% 1L

Suedz - Raffinade fein

Aachi Tandoori Chicken Masala is the marinade blend for tandoori chicken, carrying both the deep red colour and the spice profile of the clay-oven original so the dish can be made in an ordinary oven or on a grill. It is aromatic and moderately hot, built around chilli, ginger, garlic and warm spices.

Best for

• Whole or jointed tandoori chicken in the oven
• Chicken tikka and kebabs on skewers
• Grilled paneer, prawns and cauliflower

Using it

Marinate in two stages. First rub the scored chicken with lemon juice, salt and a spoon of the masala and leave it twenty minutes, then mix the rest of the masala into thick, hung curd with a little oil and coat the pieces properly. Give it four hours in the fridge, or overnight for a whole bird. Cook hot and fast, around 220C, on a rack so the heat circulates, and brush with butter or oil halfway through to keep the meat from drying.

Pack and storage

100g pack. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening.

Lemon is called nimbu in Hindi and Zitrone in German. The variety sold here is the familiar yellow lemon, with a firm rind, juicy acidic flesh, and a sharp sour flavour.

In Indian cooking it is squeezed over dals and curries just before serving, used to make nimbu pani (lemon water) or achaar (pickle), and added to marinades. In German cooking it flavours dressings, cakes, and drinks.

How to use

• Roll firmly on the counter before cutting to release more juice.
• A squeeze of lemon added at the end of cooking, rather than during, keeps its flavour brighter.
• Store at room temperature for a few days or in the fridge for two to three weeks.

Aachi Egg Curry Masala is a specially formulated spice blend for egg-based curries, delivering a rich, flavourful gravy that complements both boiled eggs and egg fry dishes.

• Tailored spice balance for egg curry
• Creates rich, flavourful gravy
  

Priya Idli Karam is the dry spice powder eaten with idli and dosa across Andhra and Telangana, ground from lentils and red chillies with salt. It is coarse, pungent and properly hot, and it is served dry at the table with oil or ghee added on the plate rather than cooked into a dish.

Best for

• Idli and dosa with a spoon of sesame oil
• Upma and pesarattu
• Hot rice with ghee

Using it

Put a teaspoon on the plate, mix it with sesame oil or ghee to a loose paste, and dip the idli or dosa into it; mixing at the table is what keeps the powder dry in the jar. It can also be sprinkled over a dosa on the tawa before folding, or stirred into hot rice with ghee. Use a dry spoon, as any moisture will cake the powder.

Pack and storage

100g pack. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening.

MDH Rajmah Masala is the blend for the Punjabi red kidney bean curry eaten with rice. It is warm and moderately tangy, with enough body to season beans that are simmered long and mashed slightly to thicken their own gravy.

Best for

• Rajma chawal with red kidney beans
• Mixed bean and chickpea curries
• Lobia and other whole-pulse dishes

Using it

Soak the kidney beans overnight, then pressure cook them in fresh water until soft enough to crush, around six whistles. Fry onion, ginger, garlic and tomato, add two and a half teaspoons of the masala for 250g of dry beans and cook until the oil separates. Add the beans with their liquid, mash a few against the pan and simmer twenty minutes so the gravy thickens.

Pack and storage

100g pack. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening.

Aubergine, 1 piece — the large purple variety, known in Indian kitchens as brinjal, baingan, vankaya or kathirikkai, and in German simply as Aubergine.

The flesh is mild and spongy raw and turns silky and almost creamy once cooked, which is why aubergine is treated as a body-giving vegetable rather than a flavouring one. Roast it whole over a flame and mash it for baingan bharta; cube it for a Bengali or Andhra curry; slice and fry it for bhaja, for a batter-fried bajji, or for the Mediterranean dishes it belongs to equally — moussaka, parmigiana, baba ganoush.

Choose a firm, glossy one that feels heavy for its size. Salting the cut slices for twenty minutes and patting them dry keeps them from soaking up oil. Store in the fridge and use within a few days.