MasalaBox Blog

Top 5 Party Menu Recipes-

Hosting a party at home is quite simple yet tough to nail in terms of food! Party menu recipes are quite the trick to make your party a grand success among your guests. Here are the top 5 party menu recipes that you can easily execute-

Galouti Kebabs-

These are one of the best party menu recipes to nail if you have a lot to feed for the party. Kebabs are quick to make by using some minced meat of your choice or veggies and deep fried in light ghee. They can be served as the perfect starter as well along with an amazing mint chutney.

2) Dum Aloo Lakhnavi-

This is one of the most finger-licking good party menu recipes you can have for the day. The key to a ‘Dum Aloo Lakhnawi’ is the flavour of the yoghurt blended with cashews, tomatoes and onion gravy. It is usually of a mild spicy flavour yet very aromatic.

3) Makhwali Kofta-

This dish is also one of the best among party menu recipes due to its rich flavour content. The koftas are made from khoya and are immersed in a rich gravy made of khus-khus, coconut and milk. This is the best dish to nail if you are looking forward to serving some hungry vegetarian guests for the night.

4) Dal Makhani-

This may sound too simple to be one of the best party menu recipes, although can kick in amazing flavours if made in the right way and served with the right dish. Dal Makhani along with some flavoured rice, chapatis and other main side dishes can bring in delight to the menu. Top it with some melted butter to make it more aromatic.

5) Dum Paneer Kali Mirch-

This is one of the most top guaranteed party menu recipes for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian lovers alike. Paneer cubes are soaked in a gravy made of yoghurt, cinnamon, crushed black pepper, fried onions, ginger and garlic. Serve it with butter naan or other amazing Indian breads or even steamed rice.

Craving for some amazing party menu recipes like these? Get party menu recipes like these ordered in now for the kitty party being organised by you http://bit.ly/partymb

Masala Box weekends are all set to make your weekend fun through food with dishes ranging from North Indian to South.

Top 5 healthy Chicken recipes to kick up your protein intake-

Healthy chicken recipes are something which everyone loves to experiment with, especially when chicken is a much flavourful meat. It is highly rich in protein and is easy to prepare no matter what the recipe is. Even a simple dish where the chicken is just boiled gives a unique flavour for chicken lovers.

Here are some of the top 5 healthy chicken recipes-

Chicken Biriyani-

Yes, a plate of Chicken Biriyani can actually be healthy! Biriyani can be made healthier by using brown rice instead of white rice, and the ghee content can also be reduced. Further, consume chicken more than the rice and add more natural spices than artificial ones, making it a healthy chicken recipe.

Honey and garlic chicken wings-

Chicken wings are avoided by everyone who is a tad- bit health conscious! But what if these delicious wings can be made healthier? Use garlic and honey as marination to make your chicken ooze out healthy and yummy aromas; also semi-fry it and bake it from there to avoid excess oil, making it a healthy chicken recipe.

Chicken Tikka Masala-

A dish which mostly involves adding in a lot of spices and fats. This dish is a favourite of almost many chicken lovers but is generally a matter of concern due to its oozing fat. The dish can be prepared by reducing the amount of fat and using more of natural spices, in order to make it a healthy chicken recipe.

Garlic Chicken-

Garlic is a very healthy ingredient whether used as raw, cooked or fried. Use garlic as a marinade, and also use it heavily in the gravy to make it much richer. Garlic is anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, fights cholesterol etc., hence making it a healthy chicken recipe.

Chicken Salad-

Salads are the ultimate health kickers, although may be boring for most. Add in some flavoured chicken chunks to your salad with some Caesar dressing if required. Devour on the tastiest healthy chicken recipe of the day.

How great would it be to feature your recipe on the Masala Box menu? Masala Box is all about homemade and healthy food and features home chefs and their passion for cooking. Join as a chef-partner now!

How to prepare a juicy Koyla Chicken

Koyla Chicken is an age-old recipe and is known for its smoky essence in flavour. Being spicy, Koyla Chicken is all about an amalgam of flavours like cashews, garam masala, fresh cream and much more. Here is the recipe to this wonderous spicy chicken dish-

Ingredients–
Chicken – 1(800) grams
Ginger – 2 one-inch pieces
Garlic – 6-8 cloves
Tomatoes – 6
Cashew nuts – 10-15
Garam masala powder – 1 teaspoon
Red chilli powder – 1 & a 1/2 tablespoons
Salt to taste
Butter – 3 tablespoons
Green chillies slit – 4-5
Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon
Fresh coriander leaves – 2 tablespoons
Fresh cream – 1/2 cup
Coal – 2 large
Ghee – 1 tablespoon

Recipe method–

Marinate chicken pieces in red chilli powder, ginger and garlic paste, garam masala powder and salt.
Blanch tomatoes in boiling water for 3 minutes.
Peel tomatoes and blend them into a puree while roasting cashew nuts.
Grind the roasted cashew nuts into a coarse powder with a mortar.
Heat butter in a Kadai and add the chicken chunks to saute them for few minutes.
Add slit green chillies and also pour in the tomato puree.
Add half cup water and cover the kadai; let the chicken simmer in the gravy for about 10-15 minutes.
Add in the roasted cashews and cover for another 3-4 minutes. Add lemon juice and coriander leaves while the chicken gets tender. Cook for another minute or 2.
Add in fresh cream and stir; remove from heat.
Heat coal on an open flame until red hot and place it into a steel bowl.
Place the bowl over the chicken and pour ghee onto the coal. As soon as smoke emits, cover the kadai with a lid.
Open the lid, remove the coal, and serve hot!

Craving for a ‘Koyla Chicken’ already? Get authentic homemade Koyla chicken from Masala Box, under the Relish menu. To order now, check out the Masala Box page now, and get amazing home cooked meals door delivered to your doorstep now.

The Masala Box Weekends are here!

Masala Box, with it’s healthy and 100% homemade food delivery service, is introducing its all new Masala Box Weekends menu! With this, you can now catch up on what’s special every weekend on the Masala Box menu. The menu is a yummy compilation of an array of flavourful dishes and cuisines.

We at Masala Box will be featuring a menu of Main courses, Medium bites and Snack Treats. Masala Box Weekends will be featuring menus for mainly Indiranagar, HSR Layout and Marathahalli for now. All the 3 Weekend Menus will be an amalgam of exquisite cuisines hailing from different parts of the country.

Here is a sneak peek into the menu-

The mains-

Chicken Perattu-

Hailing from ‘God’s own country’- Kerala, Chicken Perattu is an authentic cuisine featuring chicken in a uniquely flavoured manner. The main flavours used in these are of curry leaves, coconut oil and a freshly ground spice paste. Being a spicy side dish, it usually goes well with puttu, rice, and even smashed tapioca.

Mishthi Bhat-

Mishthi Bhat is a sweet pulao hailing from Bengal. This is commonly prepared in households during festivities and is very fragrant in nature. The major taste element of this pulao is that it has a very slight undertone of sweetness in the dish.

Khushka-

Khuska is a South Asian rice dish which is primarily made of spices, rice and ghee. This is commonly served with a kurma as the side dish, be it Veg Kurma, Chicken kurma or any other non veg kurma. A mint chutney is also accompanied with the Khushka.

Some other treats-

Andhra Kodi Vepudu-

This is a famous dry chicken dish hailing from the spicy land of Andhra Pradesh. It is prepared using a unique way of sautéing and frying the chicken in freshly ground spices. It is usually served as a starter and can also be accompanied with a simple Biriyani dish.

Chow patty Pav Bhaji-

There is nothing more spicy and delectable than a Pav Bhaji. This Maharashtrian exquisite cuisine is a mouth watering treat which everyone craves for and can be eaten at any time of the day. The Pav bhaji is commonly known as a street food and every nook and corner of Mumbai is immersed in the aroma of this heavenly treat.

Chole Chaawal-

Chole Chaawal is nothing but the combination of rice and Chickpeas curry, and can be considered as a light lunch or dinner. The Chole or chickpeas is prepared in a flavourful gravy and can range from mild to extreme spice level. It is usually prepared as a healthy lunch or as a quick grab lunch.

Apart from these, we also offer a range of desserts and sweets to give a perfect end note to your weekends. To place orders, simply drop a Hi to the Masala Box WhatsApp number by clicking on link http://bit.ly/partymb . Say a Hi now and get our weekend menu updates every week…

Top 5 food phobias that actually exist!

Phobia is a type of anxiety disorder due to excessive fear of an object or situation. Phobias can go up to different levels and can be aversions to anything, including FOOD! Here are the top 5 food phobias that actually exist-

Cibophobia-

Can you imagine someone fearing food as a whole? Cibophobia, a rare among food phobias, is an eating disorder in which the sufferer fears food. Some of the symptoms include fear of expired food, refusal to eat leftover food, worried about how well is the food cooked etc.; the sufferers most probably try to develop certain eating rules.

Mageirocophobia

This condition involves the fear of cooking; a common among food phobias. The fear is associated with being afraid of burning themselves, over/undercooking the food, or even afraid of cooking for others.

Acerophobia

Among food phobias, this is the fear associated with sour foods. Acerophobia usually arises out of a traumatic experience during an early age. This is also known as Acerbophobia.

Thermophobia

Among food phobias, this is the fear associated with hot foods. Thermophobic people generally try to avoid hot foods, hot weather or rather anything hot. The opposite of thermophobia is Cryophobia, the fear of cold.

Alektorophobia-

This among food phobias is basically the fear of chicken. This is considered as one of the rarest phobias in the world. This can also be considered as a condition linked to Obsessive Control Disorder (OCD).

Suffering from Mageirocophobia? Worry not! Subscribe to healthy and homemade meals from Masala Box now.

TOP 5 RECIPES FOR A SPLENDID DIWALI-

Diwali, also known as the festival of light, marks the celebration of spiritual victory over darkness, evil and ignorance. No matter how varied are the customs in different parts, no Diwali passes by without sharing joy and love through sweets and chocolates. Here are some of the top recipes for a splendid Diwali-

Matar Chola-

Matar Chola is a spicy curry made which can be eaten as both a side dish as well as a curry. The spicy combination of chickpeas, tomato, onions, green chillies etc. give a unique blend of flavours in the mouth. If you do not have much of a sweet tooth, you can always opt for ‘Matar Chola’.

2) Namakpara-

A replacement to Namkeens, these treat bites are the perfect evening snack after a whole day of festivity. Namakparas are salty treats that can be made out of simple ingredients. You can also give them a sweet twist if you are someone who loves crunchy sweet treats.

3) Chana Dal Bhajiya-

chana dal bhajiya diwali — chana dal bhajiya

Looking forward to some guests coming over? Then this is the perfect snack for everyone to relish on, be it a child or an adult. These are similar to ‘Pakories’ and are best served with chutney as a side dish.

4) Lauki Ki Barfi-

Who thought that a bottle- gourd can be used to make something sweet and delicious like this! This same recipe can be made using coconut instead of bottle gourd. This recipe is not only delicious but is also light and healthy.

5) Seb ka Halwa-

As the name suggests, this halwa is made out of apples and can be considered as one of the most easiest Halwa recipes. Using simple ingredients like grated apples, cashew, ghee etc., this is a simple and quick recipe you can pull off for sudden guests. You can make it more exciting by adding extra flavours like cinnamon or cardamom, and much more.

Make this Diwali more ravishing with enticing homemade sweets, savouries and chocolates. Customise your ‘Mithaai Dabba’ from Masala Box with assorted sweets and chocolates. PREORDER NOW!

Top 5 kids snacks for Children’s Day!

Top 5 kids snacks for Children’s Day!

Children’s Day is around the corner and you may be racking your brain wondering what to serve for that kitty party you are organizing. Most of us try to make it easier by serving easy snacks like chips, burgers, fries etc. Why not try out something much healthier, tastier and different.

Here are top 5 snacks that can make your kids go bananas-

Quesadilla-

Wrap up a flavourful and healthy quesadilla platter for your little stars of the party. A healthy quesadilla for kids can involve veggies, cheese, corn and many more interesting sauces and flavours. You can also make it even more interesting by adding soft chicken chunks to add in some protein.

2) Macaroni and cheese-

mac n cheese Children's day — mac n cheese

Mac and Cheese is a favourite among all kids and gives a fulfilling cheesy flavour. It can be even more yummy and healthy by adding in little pieces of shredded chicken and veggies. One of the easiest and tastiest recipes of all time!

3) Pancakes-

Pancakes are one of the top favourites of kids and adults alike! Its nutritious and yummy at the same time, and can experiment with different flavours and ingredients. Make your pancake, even more, healthier by using wheat powder instead of flour, and by topping it with berries, bananas, honey and much more.

4) Truffles-

Truffles are a party in the mouth especially if you have got the flavours right! They are mostly made in chocolate and coffee flavours and can be made into smaller balls. Make your truffle balls even more fun by making them colourful with different flavours.

5) Whole grain pizza-

Pizzas are not always the healthiest option in spite of how succulent they are! But they could be made healthier by making the dough using whole grains rather than flour. A whole grain pizza dashed with a lot of veggies, or meat amongst other flavours can be an exciting option for Children’s Day.

Looking for more convenient healthy and yummy food on Children’s Day? Get healthy and homemade meal box options in the most economical price ranges for bulk orders. Masala Box launches the ultimate Kids Meal Options for a more easy and frolic experience. Be the best Children’s Day host through-

Appetizing meal boxes @79

Mouthwatering snack boxes @69

Flavourful beverages @49

Place your bulk orders now by calling

7899854545 OR 7899857746

Top 5 benefits of eating chocolates-

Feeling guilty every time you grab a piece of chocolate? Not anymore! Chocolates have been scientifically proven to have many benefits, but only when consumed in the desired amounts.

Here are top 5 benefits of eating chocolates-

Reduces the risk of heart diseases–

Chocolates are known to reduce the risk of cardio diseases by one-third. This is mainly because chocolate helps in reducing blood clots which lead to heart attacks. Blood platelets tend to clump lesser if you are a chocolate eater.

2. Reduces the risk of strokes–

Just as how chocolate reduces cardio diseases, studies show that people who ate these sweet treats had fewer chances of stroke in comparison to people who didn’t. It is also suggested that one must consume around 100gms of chocolate a day. Not feeling guilty now, are you?

3. Improves fetal growth–

Eating chocolate during pregnancy can improve fetal growth and development. The recommended amount for expecting women are around 30 gms a day. Finally a chance to satisfy those cravings again!

4. Improves athletic performance–

Chocolate can seem helpful when consumed during your workout breaks to boost your energy levels. In this case, consuming it dark is advised, and studies have shown that athletes covered more distance after consuming dark chocolate. Dark chocolate contains flavonols which increase the release of nitric oxide in the body.

5. Reduces cholesterol levels–

Eating chocolates have proven that it reduces the risk of LDL or “bad cholesterol” levels in the blood. Regular consumption can also improve blood pressure and hence cholesterol levels as well. This is especially true if the chocolates consumed contain Plant sterols (PS) and Cocoa flavonols (CF).

Are you imagining a piece of chocolate melting in your mouth now? Enjoy the taste and joy of eating chocolates this Diwali with the ‘Mithaai Dabba’ by Masala Box! Click to preorder or Call now +91 7899854545 OR +91 7899857746.

TOP 5 UNIQUE SWEETS FOR DUSSEHRA-

Dussehra is one of the most popular festivals in India and is the tenth and final day of Navrathri. In southern India, it marks as the day when Lord Rama won over the demon king Ravana. In certain parts of India, it commemorates the victory of Goddess Durga over the buffalo demon Mahishasura.

With victory all over, India celebrates this day by various dance forms like ‘Garba’, and also not to forget the special sweets and savouries made for the day. Here are some of the top 5 unique sweets made for Dussehra-

Coconut Barfi-

For all the coconut lovers, this ‘barfi’ oozes out the mixture of ghee and coconut flavours in your mouth. It is a very sweet and chewy dessert and is prepared using fewer ingredients for Dussehra. This is most commonly prepared in the Central states of India.

2) Kheer Khas Khas-

Kheer Khas Khas is a different variant of the common yet famous ‘kheer’. When the ‘kheer’ is prepared using rice, rose water and nuts, it becomes more flavourful. This variant of ‘Kheer’ is known as ‘Kheer Khas Khas’ and is commonly prepared in North India during Dussehra.

dussehra - kheer khas khas — Kheer Khas Khas

3) Jaggery Rasgulla-

Jaggery Rasgulla is commonly prepared in many parts of North and Western India. This absolute festive treat is made by dipping soft and spongy rasgullas in a jaggery syrup. This adds a unique flavour to the entire feel of Dussehra.

dussehra- jaggery rasagulla — Jaggery Rasagulla

4) Besan Ladoo-

This is commonly known as the healthier version of laddus. This laddoo is made out of ‘besan’ (gram flour) and is lighter and more flavourful than the common laddoo. This is commonly made during Dussehra in the Western parts of the country.

5) Badam Halwa-

‘Halwa’ is a sweet confectionary ranging in many Asian parts of the world. However, it is most exquisite in India, especially when prepared with the unique flavours of almonds. ‘Badam’ refers to almonds, and this recipe is most commonly prepared in South and North India.

Craving for an assorted box of sweets right now? Customise a special ‘Mithaai Dabba’ this Diwali, and also get a plethora of flavours from Masala Box with our Special Treat menu for the day. Subscribe now!

Top 5 benefits of eating peanuts everyday-

Peanuts are the most commonly consumed variant of nuts and are also known as ‘groundnuts’. They can be consumed raw, roasted, flavoured and are even widely used in many recipes like in some kinds of pasta, peanut butter, milkshakes etc. They can also be simply roasted and mixed in flavours like pepper, herbs, or even simple salt. However, eating these nuts in the rawest form can help you in many ways.

Some of the benefits of eating peanuts every day are-

Helps in growth-

Peanuts are highly rich in proteins. This helps them in boosting growth in children through proper body development. They can be even used in your child’s snacks like a peanut butter sandwich, cookies, or just give them as a snack every day, while they are still raw.

Fighting stomach cancer-

Poly-phenolic anti-oxidants are highly present in these nuts. These help in fighting cancerous symptoms in the stomach. The risky growth of cancerous agents is reduced.

Regulating blood sugar-

Peanuts help in regulating your blood sugar! This is due to the high presence of manganese in the nuts. Manganese helps in regulating the blood sugar levels and also by boosting metabolism.

Fighting depression-

Peanuts contain tryptophan which helps in reducing the levels of depression and anxiety in you. Tryptophan eliminates low serotonin, which is one of the major reasons for depression. An ounce of it a day can boost up your mood for the day.

Protecting skin-

They also contain a high level of Vitamin E which protects from skin damage. These nuts help in increasing cell integrity. Higher the cell integrity, lesser the skin damage.

Enjoyed reading this piece on peanuts? Then you will also love the idea of eating something healthy and homemade from Masala Box. Subscribe or download the app NOW!