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5 Reasons why homebaked goodies are better than store-bought baked products?

The battle between homebaked goodies and store-bought baked junks is an old one now but just as relevant today.

Due to lack of time and choices, we oftentimes pick up whatever is available to us from the supermarket shelves.

But where there is a whisk, there is a way!

Challenged by this compulsion, we at Masalabox thought that ‘enough is enough’! This is a problem we need to address and the urgency is immediate.

Our home chefs put on their toques, punched some dough, turned on their home ovens and whipped some butter, and voila, they came up with a fresh, mouth-watering, and decadent range of homebaked goodies.

But before you learn about our premium range of homebaked goodies that is Daily Essentials, there are few baking essentials that you should be aware of. And that’s why we chose to put all of that together in this blog.

Why homebaked goodies triumph over their store-bought versions?

Use of Best Ingredients

Needless to say, a mass-produced bakery item is an artificial imitation of the highest order. Unlike our home chefs who are driven by a passion for cooking, factory-produced bulk bread won’t even use real ingredients. This is the reason why supermarket shelf bread never smells as wholesome as home-baked one. Isn’t it?

Oodles of Personal Touch

At home, baking recipes are handed down, tweaked over time, learned at gourmet baking schools, and perfected by a baker with a passion that creates a taste palette over and above mass-produced ones. So when you are taking a bite of home-baked bread or a homemade cookie, you actually taste their experiences and expertise gathered over a while. No machine can do that!

Keeping it Healthy & Preservative Free

Industrial products will be always packed with preservatives to extend their shelf life. With homebaked goodies, we use small batch baking techniques and especially the made to order baked items are done fresh every day. That’s why the products remain chemical-free. Home bakers generally bake only one item at one time (because typically their home ovens will only accommodate single baking items over industrial equipment which bake in huge numbers), thereby preserving its taste and aroma. No need to add any life enhancer because it is meant to be consumed immediately or in two-three days! Home-baked goods have no added chemicals, emulsifiers, artificial flavors, etc.

And dang the weird taste of preservatives left behind in a store-bought baked product!

The cycle of Freshness

At bakeries and supermarkets, even fresh loaves of bread are made hours before and you might consume them a few hours after. If you calculate the typical time of a store-bought baked product, the cycle from the factory to the plate will go anywhere past one month. Whereas home-baked items are prepared fresh (in fact at Daily Essentials, we start making it after we have received the order) and consumed within a week.

Made with Love

Baking is an emotional stress buster – for the baker as well as one who is relishing the end product. Many cooks compare baking with mindfulness and we all know cooking itself increases happiness. So homebaked goodies are a perfect vessel to carry that love and happiness and spread smiles around. This human connection will be completely lost on a machine because happiness is homemade!

Did we ‘bake’ you happy?

We sincerely hope that we could successfully throw some light on the benefits of homebaked goodies over the store-bought ones. Now armed with these new pieces of information, you will make a better choice – to improve the health of your family, to taste the best, and consume a more natural diet!

Check out Daily Essentials by Masalabox here, a premium range of homebaked goodies.

Top 5 North Indian Homemade Dishes- Tickle your taste buds now!

North Indian food is always love, especially if it’s homemade! India is blessed with rich food culture, and North Indian is the most sought after, out of all the other variants. Here are some of the Top 5 North Indian Homemade Dishes you must relish at least once-

1) Kadai Paneer-

North Indian Homemade Dishes — Kadai Paneer

The ever spicy yet tangy Kadai Paneer is an all-rounder! The authentic Kadai Paneer is a creamy amalgam of spices and rich flavours; the same recipe is also prepared using Chicken and it is a dream come true for any food lover. This definitely tops the list of North Indian Homemade Dishes as it is simple and delicious.

2) Butter Chicken–

It is said to be a sin to reject a bowl of a flavourful and creamy Butter Chicken! Hailing from Delhi, the broth is all set to leave you spellbound, especially if served with homemade Parathas or Naan. make sure you try out one of the best North Indian Homemade Dishes now!

3) Chole Masala–

Chole Masala is one of the best North Indian Homemade Dishes you can ever savour on if you have a spicy appetite. You can also make it tangier and flavourful by topping it with onions and lemon juice. Pair it with some hot buttered Pav, to take you to the moon and back.

4) Dal Makhani–

You haven’t enjoyed Dal to the fullest if you haven’t had the famous Dal Makhani! Dal Makhani is one of the basic North Indian Homemade Dishes, yet it can still be heaven in your mouth when served with rice or bread. Once again, Dal Makhani holds strong roots in Delhi, making it one of the most loved North Indian Dish ever.

5) Paneer Tikka–

Paneer Tikka can give you the best foodgasm, especially if you are a Paneer Lover. Chunks of Paneer are marinated in spices and flavours, then grilled in a Tandoor! No other Paneer Dish beats the vibes of Paneer Tikka, making it one of the best North Indian Homemade Dishes.

Looking for authentic North Indian Homemade Dishes or meals? Now get the best of homemade meals with Masala Box! Order now!

Top 5 Benefits of eating Homemade Food-Choose Homemade!

Homemade food is nothing but food that is cooked and consumed at home. No matter how many restaurants are out there, we would always return home for that one homemade meal, especially if its made by our mom. Here are the top 5 benefits of eating Homemade Food-

1) Healthy-

We are sure about the fact that nothing is healthier and more hygienic than homemade food. Most of the food that is commercially produced is high in fats, salts, sugar, and other additives like taste enhancers, preservatives, and much more. Homemade food, on the other hand, does not contain any of these and is always prepared using healthier ingredients.

2) Avoids allergies and other ailments-

Homemade food gives you a sense of control over what you prepare, by keeping in mind your likes as well as other factors like allergies. Restaurant food, on the other hand, gives us only a certain degree of control over what ingredients are used. Apart from that, commercially produced food can lead to various ailments on continuous consumption, unlike homemade food.

3) Portion control-

Homemade food lets you consume as per the required portion, unlike restaurant food that serves you as per their choice. Homemade food, even if you eat a bit more than usual, is not considered unhealthy. This sure makes you feel nothing beats homemade food!

4) Saves Time-

This may seem surprising, but homemade meals can also help you save time by planning ahead. You can always cook in a surplus amount so that you do not have to step into the kitchen again to cook. There are also recipes that can be quickly prepared under 30 minutes, and which you can store for later.

5) Saves Money-

Homemade meals are much more economical than restaurant food. the only expense that comes into your homemade food is for the groceries and the gas charges, which is again paid for a long time frame and not just for single usage. Now save money by cooking your favourite homemade food!

Cooking seems to be the trouble? Why worry when you can now easily get homemade meals delivered to your doorstep? Masala Box is a homemade meals delivery service, and these meals are prepared by homechefs around us.

Our meals are prepared by using only healthy and hygienic ingredients, giving you the best of 100% homemade food! The meal plans can be easily subscribed to by just a click, using our app or the website. We strictly prohibit the usage of additives and preservatives, so that our subscribers get only the complete homemade experience.

Now, you can also cook for Masala Box, by partnering with us as a homechef. You can partner with Masala Box as a Homechef by simply registering using our Website or App. Once registered, our team will fix a tasting session at your house based on your location and the possibility of delivery. After this, you will be asked to collect your FSSAI certification and other documents for which we will be guiding you throughout. Once these steps are fulfilled, you can join based on your convenience. We offer a very flexible system wherein you can cook purely based on your availability for the week according to which you will be paid.

Desserts out of bare essentials- Bread Gulab Jamun!

Whoever thought Gulab jamuns can be prepared out of just bread crumbs, giving us Bread Gulab Jamun? Bread Gulab Jamun can be easily prepared for a quick sweet tooth craving or even for festivals like Diwali. In short, it is an easier and much quicker version compared to the traditional Khoya Gulab Jamun.

Homemade Bread Gulab Jamun — Bread Gulab Jamun

Ingredients for Bread Gulab Jamun-

Bread Slices-9-10
Milk Powder-2tsp
Cream-1tsp
Milk – as needed
Sugar syrup
Sugar -1 1/4 cup
Water-1cup
Cardamom powder -1/2 tsp
Saffron-optional

Directions to prepare Bread Gulab Jamun-

Take 9-10 slices of bread and break them for grinding purposes.
Grind to fine crumbs and not to a fine powder.
Mix the bread crumbs, milk powder, cardamom powder, and cream in a bowl.
Add milk as required to make a soft dough. Do not knead!
Make medium sized balls from the dough, as per your Gulab jamun size requirement.
Heat oil and deep fry the balls until golden brown.
Make sugar syrup and add the balls into the syrup while still hot/warm.
You can also add saffron or cardamom powder to the sugar syrup as per your choice.

Recipe Courtesy – Priya Arun

Now get your recipe featured with us by staying tuned with our contests on our Instagram Page! Also, find out more about us on our website. Join the homemade journey now; hoping that we have made your weekend sweet enough.

RAMADAN KAREEM…TOP 5 IFTAR DISHES THIS FESTIVE SEASON-

It’s the festive season of Ramzan, and nothing compliments it more than a unique Iftar platter spread at the break of dusk! The Iftar menu varies from region to region- but the one thing that is common is the uniqueness and festivity of the menu. Here are the top 5 Iftar dishes this Ramadan-

Chicken Spring Rolls–
The only challenge to get spring rolls right is by preparing the dough sheets properly for the spring rolls. Then all you need is some minced chicken prepared well in spices and veggies to make an amazing flavourful filling. Spring rolls are always a classic, hence making it to the top 5 Iftar Dishes.

Aloo Mattar Samosa–
Aloo Mattar Samosas can be customized as per your choice; you can make it spicy, tangy and spicy, or even just tangy. All you need are some mashed potatoes filling paired with some green peas and other veggies, making the potato flavor dominant. Serve it with some homemade Dates chutney, and you will know why it’s in the list of the top 5 Iftar Dishes.

Prawns Tawa Fry–
The key to a good plate of Prawns Tawa fry is in its coating of masalas. Use marination combining various spices as per your choice and coat the prawns, to be Tawa fried later. Pair this with some hot rice or simply serve with some onions, making it the top 5 Iftar Dishes.

Chicken Kala Masala–
Chicken Kala Masala is a spicy affair and extremely delicious when served with chapatis or hot steaming rice. The marination and masalas are roasted to form the dark texture in the gravy, and the major spices are- pepper, cinnamon, and coriander. This is definitely one of the top 5 Iftar Dishes for you to break your fast with.

Mutton Haleem–
With Persian roots, Mutton Haleem is a rich stew made with mutton and veggies, served with bread. The major ingredients are lentils, tender lamb meat, lamb stock, and a few veggies as per your choice. This broth when served hot with an assorted set of breads is a favorite for many; making it one of the most wanted Iftar Dishes.

Craving for these Top 5 Iftar Recipes? Relish on authentic Iftar dishes coming straight from the kitchens of our home chefs at Masala Box. Order Now!

Top 5 Lockdown Recipes by our Masala Box Homechefs-

While quarantine life has become normal now, we all have developed different sets of passion and interests like cooking, reading, dancing, and much more. We asked our homechefs to share some of their Lockdown Recipes with us. Here are the top 5-

Vegetable Pulao-
Vegetable Pulao has been a favorite to a lot of Indians, especially when paired with an exquisite side dish like Paneer Butter Masala, Gobi Manchurian, Butter Chicken or even to eat plain with some homemade Dahi. All you need are a few vegetables, some basmati rice, and some butter along with other ingredients like the regular spices, etc. This makes Vegetable Pulao is one of the top 5 Lockdown Dishes.

Egg Schezwan Fried Rice-
This is one dish that is extremely simple to cook, delicious and loved by all- kids and adults! All you need is some ketchup to pair it up with, that too if really needed. This makes one of the top 5 Lockdown Recipes you really wanna drool on…

Masala Vada Curry-
Masala Vada Curry is an exclusive dish prepared in certain parts of Tamil Nadu and is extremely delicious and easy to prepare. The curry can be prepared in a masala curry base, or even a chana dal masala curry base; to which you soak the deep-fried Vadas and cook. Serve it with some Aloo Parathas or even dosas, and this will make one of your best Lockdown recipes.

Red Sauce Pasta-
Are you a bachelor looking to whip up a quick dinner, or a mom trying to get your child something homemade and delicious? Either way, Pasta is one of those dishes that can ease you from work at the same time and satisfy everyone with the meal. All you need to prepare is a creamy tomato-based sauce, add some pasta to it and serve hot; this makes a plate of Red Sauce Pasta is one of the top 5 Lockdown Recipes.

Palak Paneer-
Any paneer lover would love to have some Palak Paneer with some white rice or Naan! Combine the goodness of freshly ground Palak with some cream, masalas, and paneer, to give you a unique and healthy dish. Palak Paneer definitely becomes one of the top Lockdown recipes of the era!

Explore the goodness of our home chefs cooking with Masala Box! Masala Box aims at promoting healthy food through homemade food and also empowering our home chefs. Check out our meal plans now!

How Masala Box coped up with the ‘new normal’ during Covid 19 lockdown

Your safety matters to us!
Read on to find what steps Masala Box took to cope up with the Covid19 situation.

As COVID-19 became a matter of global concern, we, at Masala Box, took some proactive measures to help minimize the chances of spreading the coronavirus. The safety of our customers, employees, delivery partners, and home chef partners has always been a matter of top priority for us – now it became more than ever before.

Here’s a quick update on some of the steps we have taken to maintain a safe and healthy environment for all during covid19:

Measures for Delivery & Homechef Partners:

Our delivery partners & Homechef partners are continually being trained in the best practices of respiratory hygiene, proper method & frequency of washing hands, as well as identification of associated symptoms.
Should a delivery partner or a Homechef partner notice any associated symptoms, they’ve been specially requested to immediately reach out to us and consult a medical professional.
Our delivery partners & Homechef partners have also been advised to self-quarantine themselves for the recommended period upon noticing any symptoms.
We are especially in touch with our Home chef partners to ensure they’re aware of the best hygiene practices while handling and packaging food items.
Additionally, we have adopted a No Contact Delivery System wherein the delivery partners leave your package by the door (in case of online payment and we urge you to switch to online payment).

Did you know our precautionary measures will remain incomplete without your contribution? Wondering how can you help us? Read on.

Please ask the Delivery Executive to leave your package outside, in case you exhibit symptoms such as a cold, cough, sneezing, etc.
Please contact our CS team in case you notice similar symptoms with our Delivery Executive – +91 8893627252
For your best health, please ensure to use sanitizers and hand wash frequently.
Also, please do contact us if you notice our Delivery Executives or Home Chefs do not adhere to the best hygienic practices.
To avoid delivery contact, we urge you to switch to online payment!

Stay Home and Stay Safe, while we take care of your hygienic homemade food delivered to you!
Also, please do stay tuned for our updates by following us on Social Media and also paying attention to our SMS and e-mailers.

Thank You for your constant support!
We’re confident that with the right practices, we can help curb the spread of COVID-19. In the meantime, should you have any concerns about the matter, please reach out to our customer support team at support@masalabox.com or you can contact us via 8893627252.

Stay & Eat Safe, and above all, DO NOT PANIC!

Top 5 Karnataka Dishes that you must try!

Karnataka is the land of a lot of flavours and the food is always known to be spectacular. The cuisine is known for its spiciness and use of coconut and other intense flavours. Here are some of the top Karnataka dishes that are a must-try-

Koli Saaru-

Koli Saaru is a very popular chicken curry prepared in the coastal side. The gravy is made out of flavours like onions, coconuts and garlic. This makes it one of the best Karnataka dishes to feast on.

Mysore Masala Dosa-

The Mysore Masala dosa has a unique chutney spread in the dosa along with the Masala. Served along with sambar, red and white chutney, this dosa is loved by all. This makes it one of the best Karnataka dishes to feast on.

Bisi Bele Bath-

Bisi Bele Bath is nothing but rice cooked in a broth like the traditional Sambar. It is a dish that is prepared in almost every household. This makes it one of the best Karnataka dishes to feast on.

Rava Kesari-

Rava Kesari is an important dessert of Karnataka and is made of semolina, ghee, dry fruits and saffron. It is prepared by roasting Rava and adding ghee and sugar along with dry fruits and flavours of your choice. This makes it one of the best Karnataka dishes to feast on.

Mysore Bonda-

This is one of the most common forms of dried snacks in Karnataka and is loved by all. The main ingredients are nothing but maida and yoghurt, made into balls and deep-fried, later served with red chutney. This makes it one of the best Karnataka dishes to feast on.

Craving for something from the heartland of Karnataka? Try out authentic homemade Karnataka meals from Masala Box. Order now- http://bit.ly/36MKxts

Top Republic Day recipes to make your palette look colourful!

Republic Day is around the corner and it’s time for a colourful plethora of dishes. The usual typical dishes are tri- colour pastas, salads, or rice and much more. Here is something different for the Republic Day Party Menu this year-

Dry Fruit Biriyani-
This can be the perfect main course for you if you love a bit of crunch and sweet bits in your rice. Pair it with an amazing Chicken Pyaaz Masala or Methi Paneer to give you the perfect foodgasm. This makes it one of the best Republic Day recipes for the day.

Tri Colour Burfi Recipe-
End your special lunch or dinner with this amazing Burfi which is not just a treat for your mouth but also your eyes. Made with flavours like cashews, almonds, cardamom etc.,this burfi can be the start of your meal. This makes it one of the best Republic Day recipes for the day.

Tri colour Lasagna-
For all you cheese lovers, lasagna seems like an amazing option to cook. Make it tri coloured with layers of meat/veg filling and spinach pesto. This makes it one of the best Republic Day recipes for the day.

Tri Colour Sundae-
Sundaes are the perfect dessert if you have kids around! Layer your sundae with orange, vanilla and pista ice cream; topped with some nuts, fruits and khus khus. This makes it one of the best Republic Day recipes for the day.

Saffron Rice-
Although it sounds simple, saffron rice is one of the most amazing when it comes to flavoured rice. Pair it with a flavourful salad and a curry of your choice to make it even more exciting. This makes it one of the best Republic Day recipes for the day.

Too much to cook for the coming Republic Day holidays? Why not just order something homemade for the day! Let Masala Box handle your Republic Day menu; call us now – 9742627252.

Top 5 benefits of Hazelnuts!

We all love the classic creamy flavour of our favourite bread spread- Nutella! What makes the flavour unique is the high amount of hazelnuts. Hazelnuts are extremely nutritious, and here are some of the health benefits of hazelnuts-

Cell damage protection-
Hazelnuts are rich in antioxidants which helps in reducing cancer cell growth and other cell damages. This is because it helps in preventing the oxidation of the cells. This makes it one of the top benefits of hazelnuts.

Reducing cholesterol-
Hazelnuts help in reducing bad cholesterol levels. It is known that eating an ounce of hazelnuts everyday helps in reducing cholesterol. This makes it one of the top benefits of hazelnuts.

Healthy bowel movements-
Hazelnuts are rich in dietary fibre, promoting better digestion of foods. This results in better bowel movements and avoids constipation. This makes it one of the top benefits of hazelnuts.

Reducing weight gain-
Eating nuts have always helped in reducing weight gain as per many studies. This helps in reducing the risks of obesity as nuts are highly nutritious and make us feel full for a long time. This makes it one of the top benefits of hazelnuts.

Better heart health-
Hazelnuts, as mentioned earlier, help in reducing bad cholesterol levels. This further helps in improving your heart health. This makes it one of the top benefits of hazelnuts.

Apart from eating enough fruits and nuts, eating homemade food can be quite nutritious as well. Get your own homemade meal plan delivered to you by Masala Box. Order now!