Indian

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.

TRS Mace (Javantri) is the lacy orange-brown covering that grows around the nutmeg seed, dried into brittle blades. It tastes like nutmeg but lighter and more floral, and it colours a pale gravy far less than most whole spices.

Best for

• Korma, white gravies and Mughlai dishes
• Biryani and garam masala blends
• Kebab and kofta mixes, and milk sweets

Using it

A single blade is enough for a family-sized pot. Fry it in ghee with the other whole spices at the start, or grind it into a masala with cardamom and nutmeg. It is brittle and grinds easily, but it clogs a wet grinder, so use a dry spice mill. Remove whole blades before serving.

Pack and storage

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

Aachi Pani Puri Masala is the authentic spice blend for making the flavoured water (pani) used in India's most popular street food. Simply mix with water for the perfect tangy, spicy, minty puri filling water.

• Authentic tangy-spicy pani puri water spice blend
• Features mint, amchur, black salt and cumin
  

Aachi Butter Chicken Masala creates the iconic creamy tomato gravy of North India's most loved dish. With mellow spices, kasuri methi and tomato notes, it produces a smooth, indulgent butter chicken sauce effortlessly.

• Creamy tomato and kasuri methi spice profile
• Mild, family-friendly butter chicken flavour
  

Aachi Lemon Rice Powder is a convenient spice seasoning for making South Indian lemon rice (elumichai sadam). With mustard, curry leaves, chilli and dried lemon essence, it transforms plain rice into a zesty, flavourful dish in minutes.

• Instant seasoning mix for South Indian lemon rice
• Features mustard, curry leaves and lemon flavour
  

Aachi Mutton Curry Masala is a slow-cook spice blend designed for slow-cooked mutton curries. Its rich combination of whole spices, black pepper and warming masala creates the deeply aromatic gravy synonymous with South Indian mutton curry.

• Slow-cook spice blend for mutton curry
• Rich black pepper and whole spice blend
  

Aachi Kadai Chicken Masala is crafted for the iconic wok-cooked North Indian dish. Featuring freshly ground coriander seeds, dried chillies and capsicum-forward spices, it gives kadai chicken its signature bold flavour.

• Wok-style kadai cooking spice blend
• Capsicum, coriander and chilli-forward profile
• Wholesale tray: 100g x 10 packs per tray

Aachi Chicken Manchurian Masala captures the sweet, tangy and spicy flavour of Indo-Chinese chicken manchurian. A restaurant favourite, it delivers consistent results in both dry and gravy versions of this popular dish.

• Sweet, tangy and spicy Indo-Chinese flavour
• Works for both dry and gravy manchurian
  

Aachi Chicken Tikka Masala is a fragrant tandoori-inspired spice blend perfect for marinating and grilling chicken. It creates the classic charred, smoky flavour of restaurant-style chicken tikka.

• Tandoori-style marinade spice blend
• Ideal for grilling, BBQ and oven baking
  

Aachi Country Chicken Biryani Masala is crafted for naatu kozhi (country chicken) biryani, where robust spices complement the stronger flavour of free-range chicken. A deeply aromatic blend popular in Tamil Nadu.

• Designed for naatu kozhi (country chicken)
• Robust, deeply aromatic South Indian spice blend
  

Schani Leh-S-Royal Veg Biryani Curry Mix is a convenient blend for cooking fragrant, restaurant-quality vegetable biryani at home. Packed with authentic spices and flavours.

TRS Garlic Powder is dried garlic ground fine — sharp and savoury, with a drier, mellower flavour than fresh cloves and none of the peeling or chopping. It disperses evenly through a dry rub or a marinade in a way crushed garlic never will.

Best for

• Dry rubs, tandoori and kebab marinades
• Indo-Chinese sauces and noodle dishes
• Seasoning fries, popcorn and savoury snacks

Using it

Roughly a quarter teaspoon stands in for one fresh clove. Add it with the other ground spices rather than straight into hot oil, where it burns within seconds and turns acrid. For marinades, mix it into the yoghurt or oil first and give it a few minutes to hydrate before the meat goes in.

Pack and storage

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

TRS White Pepper Powder is ground from peppercorns with the outer skin removed, leaving a pale powder. The heat is cleaner and more direct than black pepper, without the woody, aromatic note, and it disappears into a pale sauce rather than speckling it.

Best for

• Cream sauces, soups and mashed potato
• Indo-Chinese dishes, sweetcorn soup and stir-fries
• Marinades for chicken and fish

Using it

Add it towards the end of cooking, as the heat fades with long simmering. Use a lighter hand than you would with black pepper — white pepper hits harder and can turn a sauce harsh. In Indo-Chinese cooking it is often the only pepper used, stirred in just before the dish leaves the wok.

Pack and storage

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

Schani Food Colour Green is a vibrant, concentrated food-safe dye for colouring sweets, cakes, and savoury dishes. A little goes a long way for bright, consistent colour.

MDH Chutney Podina Masala is a dry blend made to go into fresh green chutney, so the chutney tastes balanced without you having to measure out four or five separate spices. It is minty and tangy, with a savoury salt edge.

Best for

• Green mint and coriander chutney for samosas and pakoras
• Chutney sandwiches and tikka accompaniments
• Spooning through curd as a quick dip

Using it

Grind a large bunch of coriander and a smaller handful of mint with green chilli, a little lemon juice and two teaspoons of the masala, adding water a spoon at a time so the grinder catches. Taste before adding salt, as the blend already carries some. Made fresh it keeps two or three days refrigerated in a sealed jar.

Pack and storage

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

Annam Ponni Boiled Rice in a two-bag pack for households that get through a lot of rice. Ponni is the everyday table rice of Tamil Nadu, and parboiling before milling firms up the grain so cooked rice stays separate and reheats without turning pasty.

Best for

• Daily steamed rice with sambar, rasam and kuzhambu
• Curd rice, lemon rice and tamarind rice
• Lunchboxes and batch cooking, where texture has to hold

How to cook it

Parboiled rice wants more water and more time than raw rice. Rinse twice, then pressure cook one cup to two and a half cups of water for three to four whistles, or boil it in an open pot of plenty of water for about twenty-five minutes and drain. A thirty minute soak shortens the cooking and gives a more even grain.

Pack and storage

Two 5kg bags. Store in a cool, dry place, sealed after opening.

Annam Canned Boiled Chick Peas are white chickpeas already cooked and packed in brine, so there is no overnight soak and no pressure cooker. They are soft enough to eat straight from the tin and firm enough to hold their shape in a gravy.

Best for

• Quick chole and chickpea curry on a weeknight
• Chana chaat with onion, tomato and lemon
• Salads, wraps and hummus

Using it

Drain and rinse them well under cold water first, which takes the brine taste off. For a curry, add them to the finished onion and tomato masala and simmer for ten to fifteen minutes rather than the usual half hour, since they only need to take up flavour. Crush a few against the pan to thicken the gravy. Season at the end, as the brine already carries salt.

Pack and storage

400g tin. Once opened, transfer any unused chickpeas to a covered container and keep refrigerated.

Wagh Bakri – Premium Staple Free Tea Bags 200g.

Strong, flavorful tea bags for a perfect cup—ideal for daily chai.

Dabur Red Paste is a toothpaste made with a blend of traditional Indian ingredients, including clove and other spices, giving it a distinct taste compared to standard mint toothpastes. It is one of Dabur's long-running toothpaste products, widely recognised by its red colour and characteristic flavour.

The paste has a warm, spiced taste from ingredients like clove, along with a mild sweetness, and a smooth texture typical of a cream-based toothpaste.

How to use

• Squeeze a small amount onto a toothbrush.
• Brush the teeth as usual, then rinse with water.

Pack size: 100g. Store in a cool, dry place with the cap closed after use.

Dabur Miswak Toothpaste is a toothpaste made with extracts of miswak, a plant traditionally used in tooth-cleaning sticks across South Asia and the Middle East. This paste brings the same miswak ingredient into a regular toothpaste format for everyday brushing.

The toothpaste has a distinctive, slightly herbal taste that is different from typical mint-based toothpastes, reflecting its miswak content.

How to use

• Apply a small amount onto a toothbrush.
• Brush the teeth as you normally would, then rinse with water.

Pack size: 100ml. Store in a cool, dry place with the cap closed.

TRS Almond Flakes are blanched almonds sliced into thin flat pieces, ready to use with no skinning or chopping. They toast quickly and evenly, and give a crisp, nutty layer on a dish without the weight of whole nuts. This is the large 750 g catering pack.

Best for

• Garnishing biryani, pulao and korma
• Kheer, halwa, barfi and festive sweets
• Baking, granola and breakfast toppings

Using it

Toast in a dry pan over medium heat, or in a little ghee, for two to three minutes — keep them moving and take them off while they are still pale gold, as they darken after leaving the heat. For sweets, fry in ghee with raisins and scatter over at the end so they stay crisp. Keep the bulk of the pack sealed; nuts pick up other smells readily.

Pack and storage

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

TRS Boiled Rosecoco Beans are borlotti-type beans, cooked and tinned in water. They are speckled pink and cream in the packet, turning an even brown once cooked, with a smooth, chestnut-like texture and a mild, slightly sweet taste.

Best for

• East African bean stews and githeri
• Soups, minestrone and casseroles
• Bean salads, and coconut curries

How to cook it

Drain and rinse before use. They are fully cooked, so fold them into a finished sauce and warm through for five to ten minutes. They break down more readily than kidney beans, which is useful if you want a thick, creamy stew — crush a spoonful against the pan and stir it back in.

Pack and storage

400 g tin. Store in a cool, dry place. Once opened, transfer any unused beans to a covered container and refrigerate.