Guides & recipes
How-tos from the desi kitchen, with the matching products right there.
Biryani basics: how to make a proper biryani at home
<p>A biryani is not simply rice with meat: it is a layered dish, with spiced meat underneath, fragrant rice on top and everything finished slowly under a sealed lid. With a decent <a data-hub="biryani-masala">biryani masala</a>, long-grain <a data-hub="basmati-rice">basmati</a> and a little patience, you can make one in any ordinary kitchen. Here is a reliable chicken biryani, plus a quick tour of the main regional styles.</p>
6 min readTypes of dal explained: which lentil for which dish
<p>In South Asia, dal means both the dried pulse and the comforting dish made from it. Masoor, moong, toor, chana and urad can look confusingly alike in the packet, yet they cook in very different ways. This guide sorts them out, with soaking and cooking times, water ratios and a basic recipe you can adapt. Everything mentioned here is in our <a data-cat="dal-linsen-beans">dal and lentils</a> range, including the much-loved <a data-hub="moong-dal">moong dal</a>.</p>
7 min readDesi pantry starter list: what to buy first
<p>Just moved to Germany and staring at empty kitchen cupboards? This list gets you a working pantry, so you can cook dal and rice, roti with sabzi or a weekend curry straight away. We've split it into a <a data-hub="bengali-groceries">Bengali</a> and a <a data-hub="pakistani-food-germany">Pakistani and North Indian</a> kitchen, with rough quantities for two people for one month. Treat the numbers as a starting point and adjust as you go.</p>
6 min readHow to cook perfect basmati rice
<p>Fluffy, fragrant and every grain separate: that is what good basmati looks like, and it is easier than its reputation suggests. Rinse, soak, rest – get those three steps right and the rest follows. Below you'll find two reliable methods with exact quantities, a quick jeera rice and fixes for the usual problems. Pick your rice from our <a data-hub="basmati-rice">basmati range</a>, and finish it with a spoonful of <a data-hub="ghee">ghee</a>.</p>
6 min readHow to cook hilsa (ilish)
<p>Hilsa, or ilish, is the fish Bengali families save for special days: rich, tender and full of flavour. This guide shows you how to thaw and cut frozen hilsa, then cook three classics – ilish bhaja, shorshe ilish and ilish paturi – with exact quantities and timings, plus tips for handling the fine bones. Whole fish and steaks are in our <a data-hub="hilsa-ilish">hilsa range</a>, and the rest of the pantry is in <a data-hub="bengali-groceries">Bengali groceries</a>.</p>
6 min readHow to make masala chai
<p>Proper chai isn't steeped, it's cooked: black tea, milk, sugar and spices bubble away together in a pan until the brew is strong, creamy and fragrant. With a good <a data-hub="chai-tea">black tea for chai</a> and a few <a data-hub="whole-spices">whole spices</a> such as green cardamom and cinnamon, you can make it in ten minutes. Here is the base recipe, a handful of regional twists and fixes for the usual mistakes.</p>
6 min readHow to store spices
<p>Spices rarely spoil, but they fade fast if they sit in the wrong place. This guide explains how to keep <a data-hub="whole-spices">whole spices</a> and ground masalas aromatic for longer, how to set up a masala dabba, when to roast and grind your own, and how to look after fresh coriander, curry leaves and pastes. You'll also find a simple routine for keeping pantry moths out of your <a data-hub="chilli-powder">chilli powder</a>.</p>
6 min readA practical guide to Indian spices and masala blends
<p>Jeera, haldi, elachi, garam masala – start cooking South Asian food and you soon face a shelf of packets, wondering which ones you actually need. This guide sorts it out: ten essential spices with their Hindi, Urdu, Bengali and English names, the one technique that matters most, and the blends that save you time. Browse single spices under <a data-hub="whole-spices">whole spices</a> and ready-made mixes under <a data-hub="garam-masala">garam masala</a> and friends.</p>
7 min readMustard oil: how to use it in your kitchen
<p>Mustard oil – shorsher tel in Bengali, sarson ka tel in Hindi and Punjabi – is the everyday cooking fat across Bengal, Bihar and Punjab. It is sharp, pungent and gives dishes such as fried <a data-hub="hilsa-ilish">hilsa</a>, pickles and bhorta their unmistakable kick. This guide explains what to check on the label, how to heat the oil properly and how to use it, from frying fish to making your own <a data-hub="achar-pickles">achar</a>.</p>
6 min readYour Ramadan and Eid table
<p>From the first date at Iftar to the last bowl of sheer khurma on Eid morning, Ramadan is a month of cooking for family and guests. With a little planning it stays enjoyable. This guide brings together Iftar ideas from Bengali, Pakistani, Indian and Turkish homes, quick Sehri options, a week-by-week shopping plan and a sheer khurma recipe with exact quantities, alongside our <a data-hub="ramadan-iftar">Ramadan essentials</a> and <a data-hub="eid-sweets">Eid sweets</a>.</p>
6 min readAtta vs wheat flour, and how to make soft roti
<p>Tried making chapati with supermarket flour and ended up with stiff, chewy discs? The flour is nearly always the culprit. Atta is finely stone-ground whole-wheat flour, and it behaves very differently from German Type 405. This guide explains why and walks you through a roti recipe that works on any hob. Pick a bag from our <a data-hub="atta-flour">atta range</a>, or keep a pack of <a data-hub="frozen-paratha">frozen paratha</a> in the freezer for busy evenings.</p>
6 min readWhat is ghee? A practical guide to clarified butter
<p>Ghee is the golden thread running through Indian, Pakistani and Bengali cooking. It perfumes the tadka on a bowl of dal, keeps chapatis soft and glossy and turns up in almost every kind of mithai. This guide explains what ghee actually is, how it compares with butter and vegetable ghee, how to make your own and how to use a jar of <a data-hub="ghee">ready-made ghee</a> in everyday dishes, from <a data-hub="basmati-rice">basmati rice</a> to halwa.</p>
6 min read