Masala Dabba - Indian Spice Tin

I love spices and try to acquire spices from every corner of the world in which I attempt to cook from. Usually, I buy a lot of different spices during my trips, like Ras el Hanut from Morocco or the 7 Spice mix and Kebab mix from Kurdistan. During my cooking I always use spices, other than salt and pepper, as to my taste I find it bland to just use these basic seasoning elements. The most frequent spices that I use, other than salt and pepper, are usually paprika powder, dried parsley and garlic powder. 

Masala Dabba

To my delight, I have discovered the Masala Dabba. This is a around stainless steal Indian spice tin with 7 small inner pots which is used to store 7 different spices in one place. When me and husband went to Southall few weeks ago, I saw this spice tin and decided to buy one for me as I love to cook Indian food and would love to have those spices that I use often in one place, to save time and space. If you use a set of spices quite often, this spice tin is excellent to use as you don't have to open up several jars to season your food. You simply have your masala dabba handy and take a little from each spice pot. 

Most Indian household will have one of these spice tins storing their most commonly used spices. Now I am sure that every Indian household will have their own special set of spices in their Masala Dabba and when reading about them, I found that you can use it to store almost anything you like; different spice mixes, whole leaves or whole or ground spices. The most used set of spices that I found online included: coriander, cumin, chilli, garam masala mix, turmeric, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, cardamon and mustard seeds. I think this is an excellent gift to somebody who loves cooking and like to experiment with different spices. I have previously given away spice racks which included different spices to friends and family and they were very appreciated gifts. Therefore, I definitely would recommend one of these Masala Dabba in your kitchen.

My Masala Dabba includes the spices that I use the most in my Indian cooking as well as when I cook other cuisines. These spices are: Garic powder, turmeric powder, a mix of cumin and coriander powder, fenugreek powder, garam masala, ground ginger and mustard seeds. 

I just used it to make my lovely tikka masala, time to go and serve!

Beef Tacos with Salsa - Recipe

One of my favorite stores here in the UK is TIGER, a Scandinavian store with a wide range of fun and stylish products. what I particularly love about this store is the variety of spices they offer. Today, I went to buy three different spices: dried basil, dried dill, and, of course, the taco spice mix (1£/ each). This mix sparked the idea of making the super simple dish, tacos, as we call them in Sweden. It is a Tex Mex inspired dish that's easy to make and doesn't require much effort or time.  

Serves 3-4

Ingredients: 
500g minced meat (I used beef)

4 large tomatoes, chopped

2 onions, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
1/2 cup of sweet corn
dried basil, 1 teaspoon
lemon juice from 1 lemon
salt to taste
parsley
1 avocado, diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons tomato puree
tortillas and tortilla chips
soured cream
2 tablespoons of taco spice mix
1/2 cup of water

Process:

1- I began doing the salsa which is very simple. Chop the tomatoes, 1 onion, parsley, 1 bell pepper, and avocado. Mix them together and add salt, lemon juice, and dried basil. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

2- For the taco sauce, fry the minced meat in olive oil over medium heat until brown and crumbly. Break up any large pieces with a spoon. Add chopped veggies like bell pepper, parsley, and sweet corn, and fry for a few minutes. Then, add the taco spice, salt, tomato puree, and water. Let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3- Once the taco sauce is done, I served it with the salsa, tortillas, chips, and sour cream. It's a filling and tasty meal!

In Sweden, it's common to chop up veggies like tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, and sweet corn and serve them in separate bowls along with guacamole, sour cream, meat sauce, salsa sauce, and grated cheese. I've spent many fun nights with friends enjoying this simple yet delicious dish.

Another great recipet I plan to try soon is the beef tacos recipe by allrecipes.co.uk. But if you prefer chicken instead, I recommend Jamie Oliver's Chicken Fajitas with homemade guacamole and salsa. It is truly a delicious dish, perfect for a Friday night in front of a great movie :) 

Enjoy :)