Masala or spices play an important role in shaping the taste of food. It is no exaggeration to say that Indian cuisine is incomplete without masalas. A wide range of masalas enhances the flavour of each dish. Masalas are surely available in stores but they are always best made at home. About a third of all masalas purchased from the market contain lead, arsenic, and cadmium, which pose serious threats to humans. Ready-made masalas can do a lot of damage to health. Here are five common masalas that you should never buy from the market.
1. Garam Masala
Garam masala is itself made from several spices. Nobody knows how old masalas are used in the preparation of garam masala. In fact, the shelf life of a store-bought garam masala is very short. It’s because of the improper storage conditions. You might use your garam masala sashes till they last but have you realized the flavor gradually fades away?
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2. Black Pepper
Black pepper is a commonly used spice with medicinal properties. However, black pepper available in the market is often adulterated. Yes, it’s true to increase the quantity of black pepper ,light blackberries are mixed with the normal black pepper.
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3. Coriander Powder
Coriander powder is very essential in cooking veggies. But the coriander powder you get in stores or markets is not fresh and is sometimes adulterated too. The coriander powder made at home is fresh, bright, and fragrant. The shelf-life of homemade coriander powder is also more as compared to the store-bought one.
4. Turmeric Powder
Turmeric is an essential spice in an Indian kitchen that is used both as a spice and a medicine. There is a high chance that the turmeric powder you get in stores is adulterated. If it’s too bright or pale in color, chances are high that it contains various toxic powders like chalk powder or other yellow-colored powders.
5. Artificial Masalas
Nowadays, a lot of vegetable masalas are also available in market like paneer-pasanda masala, and bhindi masala. Nobody has an idea how old these packet sashes really are. And if we buy them, it’s next to impossible to use the whole packet at one go. And due to improper storage the masalas can turn mushy.
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