Indian Spice Tin...How Did I Ever Live Without It?
 

I recently went to India for a month of travel and exploring. Not the easiest country to visit for someone in their 60s, but it was still well worth it. My husband and I had signed up for an evening with a local, learning to cook Indian food in their home. (We went through Traveling Spoon for our reservations.) Anyway, it was a lot of fun! Our hosts were wonderful and the food was so delicious!

One thing that the cook had in her kitchen was a round, lidded, tin, filled with little cups of spices, and small spoons for dispensing the herbs. Very simple. It held about 6, or 7 spices. From then on, I was on the hunt to find one and I did, in Jaipur. (Later, I saw them everywhere throughout India.) I bought one for me and one for my daughter. I also bought an amazing array of very fresh spices to go in it.

Now that I'm home, I'm using the tin every day. It makes it so easy! No more running back and forth from the pantry, opening jars and plastic bags with wet, cooking fingers, etc. I just open the tin before I start cooking and spoon out my favorite herbs and spices right into the pan that I'm cooking in. I filled mine with my favorite savory things like cumin, turmeric, smoked paprika, garlic powder, oregano,mustard, etc. I could see having a second one for sweet, super aromatic spices like cardamom, cinnamon, etc. (I would not put my cinnamon in with my paprika.)

I'm sure that these tins are for sale in the US. I'm going to look around.

~ C

Sounds like something I need to look for.

I need a way to keep spices organized at the cottage. I am sure I can find something in Vancouver or Surrey BC, there is a large Indo/Canadian community here.

I just looked the tin up. It's called a, "Masala Dabba."

Any chance you can post a picture of it? Sounds super handy.

the images make me want one, and I'm just a salt and pepper person ;)
https://www.google.com/search?q=Masa...w=1366&bih=625

traveling spoon sounds like a wonderful idea, well done for your travels.

Your trips sounds delightful and so interesting to share customs with others.

The trip was fun, but I have to say that India is a difficult country to travel in. In most cases, you can't just stroll out of your hotel and walk down the street and window shop. It's too rugged. It's all about the car and driver there. The DH and I are independent travelers and we were not used to that. Also, the touts and hawkers are relentless and it gets tiring to deal with. But that being said, the country is amazing and all of the sights, sounds, people and food are absolutely incredible. I'm glad to have crossed it off of my bucket list.

I think I'm going to get another tin. There are so many styles to choose from. I had no idea.

~ C

Don't the open containers aromatic oils/scents mix with each other if they are left open in the tin? I am intrigued but my husband immediately pointed out that the spices might "blend" together inside the tin and all acquire a taste of the other.......thoughts?