> Patel Brothers Haul
I am SO excited to finally share this comprehensive list of my favorite items from the Indian grocery store!!! I get a ton of questions on @thechutneylife from people who want to grab some pantry staples but don’t always know where to start so this guide should be super helpful! I’ve been going to Patel Brothers since I was a child, reluctantly mostly, being forced into the van at 8 am on a Saturday to make the two hour drive from our home in Delaware to the closest Patel brothers in Edison, NJ. When I got there, I only had one thing on my mind : an ice cold box of frooti ! It made the early morning car ride SO worth it!
The list I’m sharing today are personal family favorites and because items vary from brand to brand I’ve tried my best to give you the specific brand of items! I’ve also listed some recipes from my site that incorporate many of these ingredients so you can get an idea of how to use them. It can be a little intimidating but I hope with this list you feel a little more confident stepping foot in the door and of course, getting more creative in the kitchen!
Also, I’m always wanting to know about YOUR personal faves so if you have an item you swear by, please leave it in the comments for everyone else to see too!
Happy Eating & Happy Shopping!
Disclaimer: I am in no way encouraging any one to go to the grocery store. Please follow your state and county guidelines and follow proper social distancing.
Dry Spices
Whole spices are used a LOT in South Asian cooking and are widely used for tempering (tadka), flavoring the oil before making a curry, and even used in dessert dishes! Spices in their whole form are also versatile because you can easily turn them into a powdered version (if that’s what your recipe calls for) by simply running it through a spice grinder like this one. For example, I never buy cumin powder, I take whole cumin seeds, toast them, cool them and then grind them into cumin powder! Store bought pre-ground spics can often lose their fragrance and taste so toasting whole spices and then grinding them is much better!
Whole Spices:
Whole Cumin Seeds // Dried Bay Leaves // Cinnamon Bark // Whole Black Cardamom // Whole Cloves // Whole Black Peppercorn // Ajwain Seeds / Fennel Seeds // Dry Red Chilis //Mustard Seeds // Star Anise // Sesame Seeds
Ground Spices:
Red Chili Powder // Garam Masala // White Pepper Powder // Black Salt // Coriander Powder // Hing (Asofateida) // Turmeric Powder
Refrigerator & Freezer Faves
- Haldiram’s Mix Veg Paratha (Delicious with a side of yogurt & Deep Chundo)
- Bhagwati’s Muthiya
- Bhagwati’s Patra (Heat a skillet with some oil, add sesame seeds, mustard seeds, chopped garlic, and curry leaves and let splutter. Add the patra, mix and enjoy!)
- Tandoor Chef Vegetable Masala Burgers (You can freeze buns & my cilantro chutney for quick lunch or dinner any time!)
- Deep co*cktail Potato Samosa (grab the ones specifically labeled for baking and stick them in the air fryer !)
- Deep Jalapeño & Cheese Samosa (Goes perfectly with my Cilantro Jalapeño Sauce)
- Kawan Flaky Paratha (the green packet)
- Deep Jalapeño Naan Pizza
- Deep Chikoo (Rose Chikoo Shake)
- Amul sliced cheese (Chutney Grilled Cheese, Queso )
- Curry Leaves (Sabudana Khichdi // Masala Khichdi)
- Joy Malai Kulfi
- Vadilal Ice Cream (Gulab Jamun, Falooda, Kesar Pista & Chikoo)
- Maaza Guava Juice (Guava Spritzers)
- Frozen shredded coconut (Coconut Cilantro Chutney)
Pantry Staples (lentils, flours, rice etc)
- Swad Toor Dal (Masala Khichdi & Mom’s Dal Fry)
- Swad Masoor Dal (Mom’s Falafel)
- Wagh Bakri Chai (The only brand my husband will drink)
- Prakash Kolhapuri Thecha Chutney ( Tandoori Veggie Quesadillas // Chutney Grilled Cheese)
- Laxmi Besan Flour (Air Fryer Tandoori Paneer)
- Ching’s Hakka Noodles (Hakka Noodles)
- Maggi Noodles
- Coarse Sooji (Rava Dosa & Sooji Pudla)
- Split Moong Dal (Moong Dal Pudla)
- Sabudana (Sabudana Khichdi) // Papdi No Lot
- Royal Basmati Rice (Tandoori Fried Rice)
- Rice Flour (Papdi No Lot// Rava Dosa)
- Corn Starch (Chili Paneer)
- Peanuts (Cilantro Chutney)
- Talod Handvo Mix (Zucchini Handvo)
- Talod Khaman Mix
Dry Snack Mixes
- Haldiram’s Chana Chor Garam (Delicious tossed in with some lime juice, diced onion, and chopped cilantro)
- Raju Namkeen Papad Chavanu
- Deep thin Sev (Aloo Tikki Chaat )
- Deep Papdi (the yellow kind, Shaan’s fave!!)
- Haldiram’s Sev Bhujia
- Real Bhavnagri Ganthian
- Haldiram’s Nut Cracker (Spicy Peanut Chaat)
- Swad Masala Popcorn
- Shalini Spicy Bhel Mix (Use the chutneys from my mexican papdi chaat recipe, plus this pre made bhel mix, boiled chopped potatoes, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, thin sev black salt and you’ve got yourself a beloved street food to indulge in)
Pre Packaged Spice Blends
- Shaan Nihari Chicken Mix (for my Gravy Chicken Recipe)
- Shaan Meat Masala ( Chicken Keema Pav )
- Shaan Lahori Fish Masala (Chicken Kebabs // Chicken Keema Pav)
- Badshah Chat Masala (Spicy Peanut Chaat)
- Badshah Punjabi Chole Masala (Chana Masala Wraps)
- Everest Tea Masala
- Everest Pav Bhaji Masala (Pav Bhaji Pasta // Masala Fried Rice )
- Swad Tandoori Masala (Tandoori Wings, Tandoori Fried Rice)
- Ching’s Hakka Noodles Spice
- Apex Achar Masala (Chicken Keema Pav) //( Papdi no Lot)
- Kasoori Methi (dried herb that adds great flavor to curries, comes in a box)
Sauces & Condiments:
- Swad Tamarind & Dates Chutney (great for when you don’t want to make a homemade one)
- Deep Mango Pickle (chundo)
- Ching’s Dark Soy Sauce (Chili Paneer // Sweet & Spicy Udon Noodles)
- Huy Fong Chili Garlic Sauce (Chili Paneer)
- Ching’s Schezwan chutney (Edamame Broccoli Fried Rice )
Produce :
- Cilantro
- Curry Leaves
- Green chilis (serrano chilis, and thai green chilis (the tiny spicy ones)
- Mint
