Pantry Staples

Udhaiyam / Lakshmi Palm Candy is panangkalkandu — crystallised palm sugar in irregular amber lumps, 200g.

It is the traditional South Indian sweetener: less sharply sweet than white sugar, with a faint caramel and palm note. It is stirred into hot milk and filter coffee, dropped into herbal kashayam and ginger decoctions, used in payasam and other festival sweets, and offered during pooja. Many households simply keep a jar and let people take a piece after a meal.

The crystals dissolve more slowly than granulated sugar — crush the larger lumps first if you are adding them to a cold drink. Store in a dry, airtight jar away from moisture.

Udhaiyam Red Lentils (Masoor Dal) are premium split red lentils that cook quickly to a smooth, velvety consistency. Used worldwide in soups, stews and traditional Indian dal dishes.

• Quick-cooking split red lentils
• Perfect for dal, soups, stews and curries
  

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.

Dildaar Sona Masoori is the medium-grain rice that most South Indian households cook every day. The grains are shorter and lighter than basmati, they cook soft, and they take up whatever goes on top of them instead of competing with it, which is exactly what is wanted under sambar, rasam or a curry. This is the full 10kg household sack.

Best for

• Everyday steamed rice with sambar, rasam and curries
• Curd rice, lemon rice and pulihora
• Pongal, and batter for idli and dosa

How to cook it

Rinse two or three times until the water runs mostly clear. Sona masoori carries more surface starch than aged basmati and turns gluey if you skip this. In a pressure cooker, use one cup of rice to two cups of water and cook for three whistles, then let the pressure fall on its own rather than releasing it. In an open pot, boil one cup of rice in four cups of water until the grains are soft and drain the excess. Fluff with a fork; stirring with a spoon mashes the grain.

Pack and storage

10kg sack. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening. Decant into an airtight container and keep it off the floor; a couple of dried bay leaves in the container is the usual way to keep weevils out.

Dildaar Extra Long Basmati is long-grain aromatic rice selected for grain length, which is the thing that matters in a biryani where every grain has to stay separate and visible. Cooked properly the grains stretch out, stay firm at the centre and do not clump together. The aroma shows itself in the pot and settles as the rice rests. This is the 5kg pack.

Best for

• Dum biryani, where separate grains matter most
• Pulao, jeera rice and fried rice
• Plain steamed rice alongside a rich gravy

How to cook it

Rinse gently until the water runs clear, then soak for twenty to thirty minutes; soaking is what lets a long grain elongate instead of snapping. For plain rice, use one cup of rice to one and a half cups of water, bring it to a boil, cover and cook on the lowest heat for twelve minutes, then rest it ten minutes off the heat before lifting the lid. For biryani, parboil in plenty of salted water to about seventy per cent, drain, layer and finish on dum. Separate the grains with a fork, never a spoon.

Pack and storage

5kg pack. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening. Keep it airtight and away from strong-smelling spices, as basmati takes up other aromas readily.

Dildaar Extra-Long Basmati in the 10kg sack is for kitchens that cook rice most days, or cook for a crowd. It is long-grain aromatic rice chosen for grain length: the grains elongate as they cook, hold their shape, and stay loose rather than sticking, which is what separates a proper biryani from a pot of savoury rice.

Best for

• Biryani and pulao for large gatherings
• Everyday steamed rice with curries and dal
• Fried rice and jeera rice

How to cook it

Wash the measured quantity gently until the water clears, then soak for twenty to thirty minutes before cooking. On the stove, one cup of soaked rice to one and a half cups of water, brought to a boil then covered on the lowest heat for twelve minutes, gives separate grains; leave it to stand another ten minutes before opening. For biryani, parboil to roughly seventy per cent in heavily salted water, drain well, layer over the meat and cook sealed on low heat. Always fork the rice apart rather than stirring it.

Pack and storage

10kg sack. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening. Move what you are using into an airtight container and keep the rest of the sack closed, away from damp and away from spices whose aroma it will pick up.

Experience the rich aroma and exceptional taste of India Gate Premium Basmati Rice 2 Kg. Carefully sourced from premium-quality basmati grains, this rice is known for its long, slender grains, delightful fragrance, and fluffy texture after cooking. Perfect for everyday meals and special occasions, it elevates dishes such as biryani, pulao, jeera rice, fried rice, and more.

The extra-long grains remain separate and non-sticky when cooked, ensuring restaurant-quality results at home. Whether you're preparing traditional Indian recipes or international rice dishes, India Gate Premium Basmati Rice delivers consistent quality and authentic flavor in every serving.

Key Features

• Premium-quality long-grain basmati rice
• Naturally aromatic with rich flavor
• Fluffy, non-sticky texture after cooking
• Ideal for biryani, pulao, fried rice, and daily meals
• Carefully selected and hygienically packed
• Consistent quality and taste
• Net Weight: 2 Kg

Storage Instructions

Store in a cool, dry place. Transfer to an airtight container after opening to maintain freshness, aroma, and quality.

Enjoy the authentic taste and aroma of India Gate Premium Basmati Rice 1 Kg, crafted from carefully selected long-grain basmati rice. Known for its naturally rich fragrance, fluffy texture, and extra-long grains, this premium rice enhances every meal, making it ideal for biryanis, pulao, fried rice, and everyday cooking.

Each grain cooks to perfection, remaining separate and non-sticky while delivering exceptional taste and quality. Whether you're preparing festive dishes or daily family meals, India Gate Premium Basmati Rice adds a touch of excellence to your dining experience.

Key Features

• Premium-quality long-grain basmati rice
• Naturally aromatic and flavorful
• Fluffy, non-sticky texture after cooking
• Ideal for biryani, pulao, fried rice, and daily meals
• Carefully selected and hygienically packed
• Consistent quality and taste
• Net Weight: 1 Kg

Storage Instructions

Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Keep in an airtight container after opening to preserve freshness and aroma.

Udhaiyam Brown Chickpeas (Kala Chana) are small, dark, thick-skinned chickpeas that stay firm and separate after cooking instead of breaking down. They have a deeper, nuttier, more earthy flavour than the large white variety and a noticeably chewier bite.

Best for

• Kala chana masala and chana sundal
• Sprouting for salads and chaat
• Dry curries, stews and slow-cooked gravies

How to cook it

These want a long soak — eight hours or overnight in plenty of water, as they take up well over double their volume. Drain, rinse, then pressure cook with fresh water and a little salt for six to eight whistles and let the pressure fall naturally. Older stock can need a couple of whistles more, so check one before you open the pan. Keep the cooking liquid; it thickens the gravy and carries the flavour.

Pack and storage

1 Kg pack. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening.

Udhaiyam White Chickpeas are the pale, round chickpeas known as kabuli chana — larger and milder than the darker kala chana, with a soft, buttery texture once cooked.

Best for

• Chana masala and chole
• Hummus and salads
• Sundal and chaat

How to cook them

Soak overnight, or for at least 8 hours, then drain and rinse. Pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistles, or simmer for about an hour until soft enough to crush between two fingers. A pinch of bicarbonate of soda in the soaking water softens them further.

Pack and storage

1 kg. Store in a cool, dry place in a sealed container.

India Gate Classic Basmati is long-grain aromatic basmati in a 1kg pack, the size to keep on hand for a biryani at the weekend rather than for daily cooking. The grains cook separate and dry, elongate as they soften, and hold their shape well enough to be layered and reheated without turning to paste.

Best for

• Biryani, where the grains must stay distinct
• Pulao, jeera rice and plain steamed rice
• Fried rice made from rice cooked the day before

How to cook it

Rinse until the water runs clear, then soak for twenty to thirty minutes. Use about one and a half parts water to one part rice, boil, cover, and cook on the lowest heat for ten to twelve minutes, then rest it for five minutes before opening the pot. For biryani, parboil in generously salted water to about seventy per cent, drain, and finish on low heat under a sealed lid. Always fork the rice apart rather than stirring it.

Pack and storage

1kg pack. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening, in an airtight container away from damp.

Udhaiyam Mung Dal is split green gram with the skin removed, leaving small flat yellow grains. It cooks faster than almost any other dal, needs no soaking, and breaks down into a smooth pale-gold purée with a mild, clean flavour that never fights the tempering. This is the 2kg bag for kitchens that cook dal most days.

Best for

• Khichdi and ven pongal
• Everyday yellow dal and light broths
• Kosambari, payasam and sweet dishes

How to cook it

Rinse two or three times until the water runs clear. Pressure cook one cup with two and a half to three cups of water for three whistles, or simmer it uncovered for about twenty-five minutes, skimming the foam that rises early on. For a fuller, nuttier flavour, dry-roast the dal in a pan until it smells toasty before cooking — worth doing for pongal. Temper at the end with ghee, cumin, asafoetida and green chilli.

Pack and storage

2kg pack. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening.

TRS Black Chickpeas (Kala Chana) are the small, dark brown chickpeas with a firm skin and a deeper, nuttier taste than the larger white kabuli type. They hold their shape in the pot, so they stay whole in a curry instead of breaking down.

Best for

• Kala chana masala and Punjabi chana curry
• Sundal and chaat
• Sprouting, and adding to salads

How to cook it

Soak overnight, or at least eight hours, in plenty of water — they roughly double in size. Drain, rinse, then pressure cook with fresh water and a little salt for 5 to 6 whistles, or simmer for about an hour until a chickpea crushes easily between finger and thumb. Keep some of the cooking liquid back; it thickens the gravy nicely.

Pack and storage

1 kg. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening.

TRS Rice Flakes Medium (Poha) is parboiled rice rolled flat and dried. The medium thickness is the all-purpose grade — sturdy enough to soften without disintegrating, which is exactly what a poha breakfast needs.

Best for

• Kanda poha and batata poha
• Chivda and namkeen mixes
• Dahi poha, and thickening batters

How to cook it

Do not soak it. Put the flakes in a sieve, run cold water over them for about fifteen seconds, and leave to drain for five minutes — they carry on softening as they sit. Squeezed between the fingers a flake should crush easily but not turn to paste. Add the drained poha to the tempering at the very end and fold gently with a flat spatula rather than stirring.

Pack and storage

1 kg. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening.

TRS Roasted Chickpeas (Chana), Unsalted are split chickpeas already roasted dry — known as daria, putani or roasted chana dal. They are crisp and nutty straight from the packet and need no further cooking. Being unsalted, they leave the seasoning entirely up to you.

Best for

• South Indian coconut chutney, where they do the thickening
• Chivda, namkeen and trail mixes
• Grinding into chutney powders and masala blends

Using it

For chutney, grind a handful with coconut, green chilli and a little water until smooth — no soaking, no cooking. For a chutney powder, grind dry with red chilli, garlic and salt to a coarse meal. Eaten as they are, a short toss in a hot dry pan with salt and chilli powder wakes them up.

Pack and storage

300 g. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening so they stay crisp.

TRS Chick Peas are dried kabuli chana — the large, pale, round chickpeas. Cooked from dry they have a firmer bite and a fuller, nuttier taste than tinned, and they give you the cooking liquid, which is worth keeping for the gravy.

Best for

• Chole and chana masala
• Hummus and blended dips
• Chaat, salads and thick soups

How to cook it

Soak overnight, or at least eight hours — they take up their own volume again in water. Drain, rinse, then pressure cook with fresh water for 6 to 8 whistles, or simmer for 60 to 90 minutes until a chickpea crushes easily. A pinch of bicarbonate of soda in the soaking water softens them faster. Salt only once they are tender.

Pack and storage

1 kg. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening.

Mitchell's Canned Sarson Ka Saag is a traditional Punjabi mustard greens dish slow-cooked to perfection. Convenient and authentic, ready to heat and serve with makki ki roti.

Udhaiyam Soya Chunks are dried textured soya pieces that swell to around three times their size once soaked, turning spongy and firm with a bite close to minced meat. They carry almost no flavour of their own, which is the point — they take on whatever masala you cook them in.

Best for

• Soya chunk curry and kurma
• Biryani and pulao in place of meat
• Dry stir-fries, kebabs and keema-style fillings

How to cook it

Drop the chunks into boiling salted water, take the pan off the heat and leave them five to ten minutes until soft all the way through. Drain, rinse under cold water and squeeze each one firmly — most of the raw, beany smell leaves with that water, so rinse and squeeze twice if you notice it. Squeeze them properly dry before frying, then brown them in oil alongside the onions so they pick up colour before the gravy goes in.

Pack and storage

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

Udhaiyam Mung Dal is split green gram with the skin removed, leaving small flat yellow grains. It cooks faster than almost any other dal, needs no soaking, and breaks down into a smooth pale-gold purée with a mild, clean flavour that never fights the tempering.

Best for

• Khichdi and ven pongal
• Everyday yellow dal and light broths
• Kosambari, payasam and sweet dishes

How to cook it

Rinse two or three times until the water runs clear. Pressure cook one cup with two and a half to three cups of water for three whistles, or simmer it uncovered for about twenty-five minutes, skimming the foam that rises early on. For a fuller, nuttier flavour, dry-roast the dal in a pan until it smells toasty before cooking — worth doing for pongal. Temper at the end with ghee, cumin, asafoetida and green chilli.

Pack and storage

1kg pack. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening.

Udhaiyam Roasted Rava is a premium pre-roasted semolina made from durum wheat, ideal for making idli, upma, rava dosa and halwa. Pre-roasting ensures a nutty aroma and prevents lumping during cooking.

• Pre-roasted for enhanced nutty flavour
• Perfect for upma, rava idli, rava dosa and sweets
  

India Gate Excel Extra Long Basmati in the 5kg pack is the size for a household that cooks rice regularly rather than occasionally. It is the extra-long-grain line: grains that lengthen visibly on cooking, hold firm at the centre and stay loose in the pot, which is what a biryani needs if the rice is not to collapse into the masala.

Best for

• Biryani and pulao for a full table
• Everyday steamed rice with curry and dal
• Jeera rice and fried rice

How to cook it

Wash gently until the water clears and soak for twenty to thirty minutes before cooking. For plain rice, one cup of soaked rice to one and a half cups of water, boiled then covered on the lowest heat for ten to twelve minutes, with five minutes of resting before opening. For biryani, parboil in plenty of salted water to roughly seventy per cent, drain well, layer and finish sealed on low heat. Fork the grains apart at the end.

Pack and storage

5kg pack. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening. Keep it in an airtight container away from damp and strong-smelling spices.

Udhaiyam Green Mung Beans are whole green gram — small olive-green beans with the skin intact. They cook softer than most whole pulses while still holding their shape, and have a mild, faintly sweet, grassy flavour that takes a tempering well. The 2kg bag is the one to reach for if you sprout or cook them weekly.

Best for

• Sprouting for salads and sundal
• Whole green gram curry and pachai payaru
• Soups, stews and thick dal finished with coconut

How to cook it

Soak six to eight hours, or overnight, before cooking. Pressure cook one cup with two and a half cups of water for four to five whistles — the beans should give under a spoon without collapsing. To sprout them, soak eight hours, drain thoroughly, then leave them tied in a damp cloth somewhere warm for a day or two, rinsing once a day. Finish cooked beans with mustard seeds, curry leaves and grated coconut.

Pack and storage

2kg pack. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening.

Udhaiyam Mini Soya Chunks are the small-format textured soya pieces, granule-sized rather than the large chunks. Because they are small they rehydrate in minutes and take on the flavour of a gravy more readily, and they fold into a dish where a full-size chunk would sit awkwardly.

Best for

• Soya keema and stuffed paratha filling
• Curries, pulao and biryani
• Stir-fries, cutlets and kebabs

How to cook it

Pour boiling salted water over the chunks and leave them for eight to ten minutes until soft, then drain and, importantly, squeeze them out firmly between your palms; the water they hold is what otherwise dilutes the whole dish. Some cooks rinse and squeeze twice. Add them once the masala base is fried and the oil has separated, so they absorb the flavour rather than dampening it, and cook a further five minutes.

Pack and storage

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

Udhaiyam Roasted Chana, sold as daria or pottukadalai, is split chickpeas that have already been roasted, so they need no cooking at all. They are dry, crisp and mild, and in South Indian cooking they do a job no other ingredient does: ground into chutney, they thicken it without water and without cooking.

Best for

• Coconut chutney for idli and dosa
• Ladoo and sweets, ground to flour
• Snack mixtures, sundal and eating plain by the handful

How to cook it

For chutney, grind two tablespoons with coconut, green chilli and a little water; add it a spoon at a time, as it thickens quickly and is hard to loosen again without thinning the flavour. For ladoo, grind it to a fine flour first and sieve out the coarse bits. It needs no roasting or soaking, so it can go straight into a mixture or on top of a dish for crunch.

Pack and storage

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