Pure Indian Foods Organic Whole Yellow Mustard Seeds
Fiery and powerful, brown mustard seeds add pungent flavor to dishes. The brown and black variety are quintessential to the cuisines of South Asia, with a spicier profile than yellow mustard seeds. Ground, these can be used in spice mixes for meat, seafood or vegetables; whole, they’re excellent fried with ghee or oil to make tarka, the flavor base of many South Asian dishes, or used as a pickling spice.
​Pure Indian Foods Ground Garam Masala
Pure Indian Foods Ground Garam Masala is the best version of this Indian spice blend that we have tasted—plus, the most bold and aromatic. The company's unique blend, based on a family recipe, has a more complex flavor and aroma than other varieties. A base of black peppercorns, cumin, delicate Ceylon cinnamon, ginger and cloves provides an aromatic spicy foundation, along with two types of cardamom pods: minty, citrusy green cardamom and smokier black cardamom. Additionally, Pure Indian Foods uses hard-to-find organic mace—the outer coating of nutmeg that has a more floral flavor and basil-citrus aroma—and woody yet brightly piquant long pepper, which is essential to Indian cooking but harder to source due to its labor-intensive harvest methods.
​Pure Indian Foods Organic Tellicherry Black Pepper
Considered one of the highest-quality varietals of black pepper in the world, tellicherry peppercorns must come from Tellicherry, a coastal city in Kerala, India. Whereas supermarket peppercorns have a mostly sharp, one-note spice, Tellicherry peppercorns taste warm and nutty with an intense zing, citrusy aroma and notes of tea and sandalwood. The growing and supply of these rare peppercorns is so carefully controlled that they’re hard to find at a price that won’t break the bank—we were thrilled to find that Pure Indian Foods offers one. Hand-selected from late-harvest pepper berries, only 10 percent of these floral peppercorns make the cut to qualify as Tellicherry Garbled Special Extra Bold variety. They’re used in some of the best professional kitchens around the world, appreciated for their complexity and moderate heat.
​Pure Indian Foods Organic Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
When venturing into Indian cuisine at home, the bright, distinctive flavor of Kashmiri chili pepper is indispensable. This chili powder's fiery red-orange hue belies its relatively moderate spice—think hot paprika, not cayenne. Pure Indian Foods' product is especially fresh and aromatic, preserving the chili's herbaceous, delicate qualities. Treat this versatile spice like a vibrant paprika or chili powder. Its bright fruity flavor is especially delicious with pork dishes; use it for a simple spice rub with salt and pepper on roast tenderloin.
Pure Indian Foods Organic Curry Powder
We love how this organic curry powder hints at the traditional Madras style of curry, while also bringing a balanced flavor that doesn’t just highlight one single spice. They all work together in harmony, creating layers of flavor that arise one after the other. Fenugreek offers that classic curry flavor, while warm cinnamon, spicy ginger and fragrant cloves round things out. Coriander, cumin and tart mustard bring a base note of savoriness, and cayenne and black pepper give a kiss of gentle heat. The quality of the organic spices is evident in how bold and aromatic they come across, which truly sets it apart from others we’ve sampled. Also, this curry powder has a smoother grind, so it will never make a dish gritty.
​