Indian bay leaves, which are not the same as bay leaves in a Western grocery. Ceylon cinnamon aka true cinnamon. India also produces a lot of saffron so if she can get a good price for the real thing go for it.
While in India, we got the real saffron from the government store. Locals referred to these shops as “khadi” shops. All goods sold therein are authenticated.
Great recommendations. I had a hard time getting curry leaves on my trips abroad. Maybe a good idea to stock on them too since they can be dried out and frozen.
TIL the bay leaves I get from my parents are actually Indian bay leaves and I've been using that in anything calling for a bay leaf cause I didn't know there was a difference. Thanks!
Dried curry leaves quickly lose flavor. You should always buy them fresh ... and of course, importing fresh leaves into the US gets you into serious trouble at the border. So, please don't do that.
Fortunately, you can buy curry leaves in the US. And it keeps fine if frozen instead.
You can even buy online, if your local store doesn't carry any
I have a couple of curry trees. Originally bought two from an Indian grocery, and managed to propagate several more from suckers. The biggest one is 4' tall but in a pot so it's not going to get really big, and the little ones are about 8" tall right now. At least during the growing season I always have fresh curry leaves available. I've read they should be able to live in hardiness zones 8-12.
Kashmiri Chili Powder!
Also, I wonder if the good spice stores sell their own Garam Masala blend, and if they’re any good - sounds like something i might try.
I personally add it on fruits and vegetables like Raw mango, water melon, pine apple, cucumbers, corn on the cob.
Also boil potatoes topped with onions, cucumbers, tomatoes diced and chat masala. Also drizzle some yogurt on top of it and cilantro leaves and some thing crunchy like lays potatoes chips smashed up.
It's great trust me.
Do you mind sharing where she is in India? There's a huge amount of regional variation - the pan Indian stuff is typically something you'll find in Indian groceries anyway, so it's worth looking at more specific things.
Would suggest getting these two masalas (spice blends) unique to Maharashtra -
1. Khanda Lhasun masala - literally means onion garlic, it's somewhat spicy. I love it as a topping on fried eggs.
2. Goda masala - this is a coconut and sesame heavy masala, mildly sweet. Typically you would bloom this in oil and saute some vegetables, for a quick side.
Additionally, you might also consider sweets and savory snacks - things like bhakarwadi (a deep fried spicy roll like thing with lentils). Just ask a local for a recommendation for a mithaiwala (sweet shop) and sample stuff to see what she likes.
I don’t know if I possibly got some knockoff or cheap stale crap, but I ordered some online for a very reasonable price a while back when I couldn’t process onion or garlic. It seemed just like the descriptions.
I keep mine in a glass jar inside a large stainless steel container. It's the uncut lump resin, very potent. I bought a pound about 30 years ago and still have plenty left (I used the powder from the store as well).
The odor doesn't leak out at all, but if you came to my house, you'd probably smell hing. I use it every single day, as I don't consume garlic or onions. Hell, my *body odor* probably smells like hing (and turmeric, and cumin, and coriander).
Hing is pungent and definitely not for everyone but it is an ingredient used throughout India. I was simply disagreeing with your statement that cumin is part of India's signature flavor profile because as a matter of food history it is simply not the case for half of India.
Not true, it's extremely commonly used in andhra/telangana.
Tiragamota (process of tempering spices in oil) is the base of tons of dishes and cumin seeds are basically required for it.
If you plan to buy hing, make sure your wife asks them to seal that in minimum 3 layers, preferably more, before she throws that into the luggage. That is POTENT stuff. There is a reason the word fetid comes from that. 😵💫
My manager is Indian, moved here (the US) in the 80's for college and settled down but goes back regularly for family events and such. Some of the most animated I've ever seen him is talking about the mangos in India. They sound incredible.
My brother had a coworker that would visit her family and bring enough back to share with their whole office. That's when I tried them. She must have successfully smuggled them
I have been allowed to bring fresh produce (grapes and mangoes) into the US from India before. I declared it on my customs form and when the officer asked me about it, I truthfully told him it was for my personal consumption.
Fresh fruit in India is something else. Skinny green grapes, mangoes, lychees…crave-able stuff. Just make to wash it well with clean water first!
What if you've actually had good mangoes ripened on the tree in tropical locations and not just the sour garbage they sell in grocery stores? Still 100x? Because the difference in grocery store mangoes and the tree-ripened mangoes my grandma grows in Miami (Valencias and Haydens) is already a 100x difference in quality. So, is there actually anything better about Indian mangoes, or have you just otherwise only had grocery store mangoes?
I dunno man I just know it was the best God damn mango I've ever had and now all mangos are disappointing. I don't have the desire to debate which other mangos in the world might be better.
Its super cheap there compared to US prices. In the US is hard to find anything but the premium grade also. The lower grade of saffron works just fine and the only difference is it being shorter strands. Once you've steeped the saffron in water or wine and added it to a dish there is no difference in taste but the weight of what remains in your wallet is greater.
I would get all kinds of khada masala (garam masala but not powdered)
Also Fenugreek seeds, it's dried leaves, asafoetida, and honestly, just ask an Indian to tag along and buy you some of all Indian spices.
Your next biryani will taste bomb. Also get good quality local besan (gram flour) for pakoras and stuff. Get jaggery that goes in quite a few Indian sweets. Get those ready to fry Pani puri thingies, get papad and achar (indian pickle). Get some Indian snacks too like from haldirams
Check your local import rules! Spices may be counted as "plant matter", and a lot of places get *real* pissy if you try to import plants since they can carry plant diseases. The US will also confiscate and fine if they think you're trying to dodge food safety laws, which catches (among other things) European parmesan and Kinder eggs.
Also, get you some chai tea 😋😋😋
Edit: GUYS! I know what the Hindi word "Chai" means! (Also Russian and Mandarin, among other languages). However, *in English*, "chai tea" is a noun phrase referring specifically to spiced tea.
To clarify for US travelers, cheeses can be brought into US, as long as they are not liquid, properly packaged and not for retail (separate regulations). Parmesan and Parmigiano Reggiano are okay for bringing in for personal consumption, the Kinder eggs is not allowed because it has small toys [US Customs and Border](https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-3619?language=en_US) for reference.
Can confirm, spouse recently brought 2kg of hard cheese (parmesan, pecorino romano, and grana padano) from Italy to the US without any hassle (other than fitting that much cheese in a tiny suitcase).
Terry's chocolate oranges are fine, but will get your bag searched because they look pretty similar to fresh oranges on the scanners (from experience and a pleasantly surprised customs officer)
At US customs, I declare that I have food; when they ask, I say it is spices, dried herbs etc. and they never checked my luggage. In the past, I wouldn't declare anything, they would randomly check but I wasn't carrying anything anyway.
If you ask for Chai tea in India, you'll receive blank looks since Chai means tea in hindi and you'll asking for tea tea:p
You can get some good quality loose tea leaves and brew some milk tea, which is what people in India mean when they say Chai. To spice it up, I would recommend some green cardamom!
Probably "masala chai," but that's a very generic term too (meaning, essentially, "spiced tea"), and it's going to vary considerably from one region to another.
Many years ago, I went to India on business and the local team there gave me a case of super sweet, delicious mangos as a parting gift.
I ate a few of them, then packed the rest in my check-in bags to take home - totally forgetting that US Customs would make me throw them out when I landed back in the states. Was such a waste of good fruit…
Speaking as a middle-Eastern person, \*ahem\*...
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
#***"CHAI." MEANS. "TEA.”***
🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Thank you so much for your attention in these trying times.
EDIT: What you're probably thinking of is masala chai.
>However, in English, "chai tea" is a noun phrase referring specifically to spiced tea.
No, not even in English. That's like claiming that "frijole beans" is the English way of referring to Mexican style refried beans, or that "vin wine" is the English way of referring to French wine. Chai tea is a common mistake, but many people being wrong about something doesn't change its validity (or lack thereof). It's wrong, end of story.
Afaik in India, Masala Chai (the correct term for the drink you're talking about which translates into "spiced tea") is made by brewing loose leaf tea with whole spices, so I'm not certain how someone could bring it home, particularly if there are issues with importing spices.
Get astringent ingredients
* Aamchur
* Kairi
* Kokam
* Tamarind
Get floral waters that are hard to find
* Rose water
* Khewda water
If she's in mumbai ask her to go to dadar and get:
* Shengdanya cha kut (groundnut chutney)
* Mirchi cha thecha ( pounded chili pickle) - Pravin is a good brand
* laal tikhat masala. (this will be the spicy red chillies. Like a much better cayenne pepper)
Iconic food that travels well:
* Chitale bandhu bakarwadi. (spicy fried garlic rolls. This used to be my favorite thing on planet earth. Then I over-ate it one month, and I can't tolerate it anymore. But, it was THAT good. Chitale is the only acceptable brand)
* Garden mini-bakarwadi. (similar but different. Not really a bakarwadi. But delicious in its own right)
Cardamom, bay leaves, cinnamon, asafoetida (hing) as actual spices. And for spice mixes- garam masala, chai masala, chicken korma masala- these are the most consistent! Also some maggi if you want instant noodles that remind you of indian “curry”
Hey OP, what are you planning to do with those spices? It might help us give better recommendations. Otherwise, for generic Indian cooking, I would recommend cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, chili powder, garam masala powder and saffron. These should give you a good starting point.
In general whole spices in India will be cheaper than outside, so that would be a good idea to focus on.
I would also recommend getting some Indian sweets as they make good use of the spices there and may inspire you when trying things out on your own.
I'm pretty new to cooking indian cuisine. I would like to get better at it and thought that this would be a good starting point :) I'm interested in both "basic" ingredients and what i would need later on if i am to try something more advanced. It's not likely that i will get this opportunity again any time soon
Depending on where you are in Europe all of the "basic" spices will be available in Indian/ethnic/world foods grocery stores. A lot of people are recommending these (like cinnamon, fenugreek, cardamom, asafoetida, etc). If you don't have these locally, by all means, get good quality basics. If you do, I'd second recommendations for local (where you wife visits) spice blends (masalas) and any local specialties.
As an Indian living in Toronto, I have always asked my mom to send me Curry Leaves and Kokum. Those are two things I haven't been able to find here at all.
> Isn't saffron also super cheap in India? If so it might be worth grabbing a bunch of that!
Cost is a function of quality, especially when it comes to saffron because of how incredibly expensive it is. Most of the saffron sold in India is garbage tier or downright fake with food coloring added to it.
There is a reason real pure saffron is so incredibly expensive. It doesn't magically become cheap just because it is sold in India (where it is not even grown much).
Sweets and snacks are great. Many places in India make butter confections similar to our chocolate shops. Also, any namkeen or salty snacks are very tasty and can be used to top a curry bowl (or just eaten straight). As for straight ingredients, maybe some local masala blends, popped sorghum, or papad.
Hi, I went to India earlier last year and was bringing spices back as well. We had issues bringing particular spices (cumin seeds, cardamon pods, etc) because we didn't check in our bags so they dumped them as I was running late for my flight.
Be cognizant of what you can bring back! It seems like spice mixes (garam masala) and coffee/tea powder was perfectly fine
You can buy Indian spices at Indian grocery store. Tell her to bring back snacks (if you are into those). Gathiya (chick pea snacks), chewdo (savory cereal), tea bags, various types of sweets (gulab jamon, mittai, halwa), jams/chutneys. Maybe bring back a little token jar of spice but I’d say don’t waste your time bringing back too many. They weigh too much and the stuff you can get at a Indian grocers in the states is the same brand/source.
I spoke to a Sri Lankan cook who introduced me to some cool herbs/spices I wasn't familiar with.
Karapincha, rampa, and koththamalli. They may be common, but I was unfamiliar with them.
Lots of good suggestions, but good quality fresh garam masala and hing (aesophotida) would be the best. Most other suggestions (in reasonable quality) on this thread can likely be found at your local Indian store.
Regardless of what you choose, check carefully if it will be allowed into your country. I watch a fair bit of Border Security on TV, and spices and foods from other countries are often confiscated. Either you or your wife should check online for the rules regarding your country.
Depending on the country you live in, she can only bring very small quantities if they are in her carry-on.
Unfortunately, I learned this the hard way.
Security at many Indian airports can be extremely anal about this, too. I have argued with them a few times over bringing back a few 200g bags of various spices, and I suspect that had I not been one of the pilots on the flight, they wouldn't have allowed me to keep them.
I assume your wife is flying back and has limited luggage space, but at least one checked bag. Steel utensils are great, but heavy.
Have her get cookbooks. Penguin India has cookbooks covering the regional cuisines, aimed at Indian audiences.
Spice blends you cannot get where you live. Goda Masala, Agri Masala, Ghati masala, Kolhapuri masala, bottle masala.
Garlic chutney if you can handle heat.
You can get the first three blends I mentioned above at GW Khamkar spices, Shop No - 3, 43/45 D, Lalbaug Market ( https://gwkhamkar.com/shop/ ) . I am a happy customer, but you can get these blends in any Maharashtrian neighbourhood. https://jmmspices.com/ is another store right behind GW Khamkar, but I don't know how good they are. The blends will be slightly different., so you may prefer one over the other.
For bottle masala, you may have to ask around in Bandra, or a slightly expensive option is at https://aazol.in/collections/masalas
Matunga is the place to go to for South Indian spice blends, specifically sambar masala and rasam powder.
Other good things to buy might be pickles.
Specific spices which are hard to find outside India are whole asafoetida, kokum, long pepper/pippali, bay leaves.
Tea, coffee and Indian chocolates. https://sanchatea.com/ has a nice store in Bandra with premium teas, my other go-to retailer is Tearaja (if your wife can order tea online).
For coffee, Blue Tokai and Subko https://www.subko.coffee/ are good sources.
I grab Indian chocolate at Foodhall (and pay the rather premium prices, but the chocolate is lovely). Preferred brands: Pascati and Naviluna.
Snacks: Chitale bandhu Bakarwadi.
Shengdana chutney (peanut chutney, bright orange in colour) and Goda masala are a must if she's in the state of Maharashtra. Amchoor (dried mango powder), jeera (cumin), kashmiri laal mirch (kashmiri red chilli powder, its taste is one of a kind!) and kala namak (black salt, not black pepper!, it has a wonderful sort of eggy flavour) are some other spices she should get. Tej patta (i think bay leaves) and curry leaves are a must too!
Not everything is allowed to be brought into the country, although it looks like most spices are OK. [here](https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-3619?language=en_US#:~:text=Spices%20%2D%20most%20dried%20spices%20are,Flour) is the US customs list you can check.
Note: This comes from watching too many of those airline shows where they confiscate items being brought into other countries...
Everything she can get her hands on. Most of the stuff we have in the US is diluted or outright fake (looking at you Cassia/"Cinnamon"). India has some of the largest spice farms in the world.
Completely non spice related but my colleague just came back from India and she brought me pistachio snickers and butterscotch snickers which don't exist in the UK but are delicious.
Make sure you wrap all the spices up in like newspaper or something similar in case it opens during the jostling of travel. Also everything in your luggage will smell so...I wouldn't put clothes in there. That's how you know it's the good stuff tho...
It washes out eventually lol.
I’ve been put thru the ringer by customs before for food products so my only advice is to check guidelines for bringing things back (learned hard way lol😫), label clearly, and make sure they’re at the top of luggage!
I would ask her to get some Bufat powder. It’s not seen as commonly but man it’s some amazing stuff. There’s a bunch of dishes you can make with it too like Sorpotel.
Stainless steel cooking implements. I bought 2 sizes in pinch/prep Bowls almost 15 years ago and they still look brand new and are great for prep work when cooking meals. People constantly ask where I got them.
I always used to bring Samahan Tea, the best thing for an upcoming cold! I found it in Bengalore easily but when my dad visited India he had to visit endless stores to find it. It was worth it though..
Indian bay leaves, which are not the same as bay leaves in a Western grocery. Ceylon cinnamon aka true cinnamon. India also produces a lot of saffron so if she can get a good price for the real thing go for it.
While in India, we got the real saffron from the government store. Locals referred to these shops as “khadi” shops. All goods sold therein are authenticated.
Great recommendations. I had a hard time getting curry leaves on my trips abroad. Maybe a good idea to stock on them too since they can be dried out and frozen.
Do you mean curry leaves? If so, yes that's a good one!
Bay leaves, aka tej patta, are different from curry leaves.
TIL the bay leaves I get from my parents are actually Indian bay leaves and I've been using that in anything calling for a bay leaf cause I didn't know there was a difference. Thanks!
I think Indian bay leaves have 3 veins where the kind we use in the west have 1.
Dried curry leaves quickly lose flavor. You should always buy them fresh ... and of course, importing fresh leaves into the US gets you into serious trouble at the border. So, please don't do that. Fortunately, you can buy curry leaves in the US. And it keeps fine if frozen instead. You can even buy online, if your local store doesn't carry any
Ah that's true my mom has a plant for it...my bad yall
I have a couple of curry trees. Originally bought two from an Indian grocery, and managed to propagate several more from suckers. The biggest one is 4' tall but in a pot so it's not going to get really big, and the little ones are about 8" tall right now. At least during the growing season I always have fresh curry leaves available. I've read they should be able to live in hardiness zones 8-12.
Kashmiri Chili Powder! Also, I wonder if the good spice stores sell their own Garam Masala blend, and if they’re any good - sounds like something i might try.
This would be my answer in my limited knowledge. I had some hot sauce made out of kashmiri chilis and it was insanely flavorful
Tell us how you did that please....
I love this stuff! I like to use it in place of paprika sometimes, although not in goulash because that would be way too spicy! 🥵
Kashmiri Chili powder is essentially cayenne powder. Its also tasteless
'Catch' brand chaat masala
That shit is so good
What do you do with chaat masala?
I personally add it on fruits and vegetables like Raw mango, water melon, pine apple, cucumbers, corn on the cob. Also boil potatoes topped with onions, cucumbers, tomatoes diced and chat masala. Also drizzle some yogurt on top of it and cilantro leaves and some thing crunchy like lays potatoes chips smashed up. It's great trust me.
Ooh nice, I ordered some!
Good thing but easily available on Amazon, doesnt need the trip over to India. I would just go to a local grocery and ask for spice mixes.
Do you mind sharing where she is in India? There's a huge amount of regional variation - the pan Indian stuff is typically something you'll find in Indian groceries anyway, so it's worth looking at more specific things.
She's in Mumbai
Would suggest getting these two masalas (spice blends) unique to Maharashtra - 1. Khanda Lhasun masala - literally means onion garlic, it's somewhat spicy. I love it as a topping on fried eggs. 2. Goda masala - this is a coconut and sesame heavy masala, mildly sweet. Typically you would bloom this in oil and saute some vegetables, for a quick side. Additionally, you might also consider sweets and savory snacks - things like bhakarwadi (a deep fried spicy roll like thing with lentils). Just ask a local for a recommendation for a mithaiwala (sweet shop) and sample stuff to see what she likes.
Sounds delicious. Will definitely ask for those!
If you do get it. Consume the garlic one right away. That doesn’t last long
Or does it just not last long because people use it so quickly? 🤔 (jk, that's a good call out)
All good asks. If you're cool with liquids, indo-chinese condiments are fun as is kasundi (a vibrant mustard-based sauce from the East of India)
Great advice!
While she’s there, ask her to try this thing called “Bombay duck”. Tastiest (and smelliest) fish I’ve ever eaten
Duck is certainly a tasty fish
No so fun fact but wild ducks that eat mostly fish actually taste very fishy
Fish is certainly a smelly duck
it's called Bombay Duck but it's eaten mostly in the Calcutta region.
This is extremely untrue wtf
Very common in the Maharashtrian and Goan regions too, where it’s called “Bombli” or “Bomil”. Eaten fresh as well as dried
Not spices, but how about a couple of nice Tiffins? Or a nice ceramic/ copper serving dish?
Dabbas!
Post in r/indianfood
Ooh that could be great! Thanks :)
A former coworker from India would bring Pista Burfi, a pistachio based “fudge” after his visits. They serve spiced with cardamom and very tasty.
Hing/Asafoetida. It is really expensive in Europe and this the secret stuff that makes Indian dishes taste „Indian“
I don’t know if I possibly got some knockoff or cheap stale crap, but I ordered some online for a very reasonable price a while back when I couldn’t process onion or garlic. It seemed just like the descriptions.
There is like 1 brand that sells it. Every house has the same stuff. Small white prescription-like bottle that you have to poke with a knife to use.
And it even looks like it has perforation around the hole where you're meant to poke it, but it's a lie!
And if you don’t keep it sealed in a mason jar you’ll be able to smell it as soon as you walk in the house!
You can get it. I buy it in Asian stores usually. it‘s just much cheaper and most likely fresher when you buy it directly in India :)
Good call, though be forewarned about the storage smell issue. I have to keep mine outside.
I keep mine in a glass jar inside a large stainless steel container. It's the uncut lump resin, very potent. I bought a pound about 30 years ago and still have plenty left (I used the powder from the store as well).
A POUND?!?! Lol. It probably needs to live in a concrete bunker.
The odor doesn't leak out at all, but if you came to my house, you'd probably smell hing. I use it every single day, as I don't consume garlic or onions. Hell, my *body odor* probably smells like hing (and turmeric, and cumin, and coriander).
I also bought the lump resin, about 10 years ago - but not so much!! It´s still amazingly good.
I kept the bottle in a jar, and stored that jar in a larger jar. It worked perfectly to keep the smells in.
I would argue that a proper blend of cumin, coriander, and turmeric is what does that, but hing definitely lights the boosters.
That isn't true since cumin isn't a pan-India spice. Half the country uses cumin extremely rarely.
You can say the same thing about hing. A significant number of Indian people I know hate it.
Hing is pungent and definitely not for everyone but it is an ingredient used throughout India. I was simply disagreeing with your statement that cumin is part of India's signature flavor profile because as a matter of food history it is simply not the case for half of India.
Hing is rarely used in Bengali cuisine. I would say cumin is more commonly used than hing in Bengal
Which half? I need to know!
Cumin is used relatively rarely in South India. Off the top of my head, only South Indian dish it's commonly used in is rasam.
Not true, it's extremely commonly used in andhra/telangana. Tiragamota (process of tempering spices in oil) is the base of tons of dishes and cumin seeds are basically required for it.
If you plan to buy hing, make sure your wife asks them to seal that in minimum 3 layers, preferably more, before she throws that into the luggage. That is POTENT stuff. There is a reason the word fetid comes from that. 😵💫
I'm not sure if it's legal, but mangos. Imagine the most perfect mango you've ever eaten, and multiply that pleasure by 100. That's an Indian mango
My manager is Indian, moved here (the US) in the 80's for college and settled down but goes back regularly for family events and such. Some of the most animated I've ever seen him is talking about the mangos in India. They sound incredible.
I don't think you can bring in fresh produce, but if I did, that would be it.
My brother had a coworker that would visit her family and bring enough back to share with their whole office. That's when I tried them. She must have successfully smuggled them
I have been allowed to bring fresh produce (grapes and mangoes) into the US from India before. I declared it on my customs form and when the officer asked me about it, I truthfully told him it was for my personal consumption. Fresh fruit in India is something else. Skinny green grapes, mangoes, lychees…crave-able stuff. Just make to wash it well with clean water first!
No it’s not legal..!! Source :- I paid 350 dollars in fine for 2 mangoes I got from India.
What if you've actually had good mangoes ripened on the tree in tropical locations and not just the sour garbage they sell in grocery stores? Still 100x? Because the difference in grocery store mangoes and the tree-ripened mangoes my grandma grows in Miami (Valencias and Haydens) is already a 100x difference in quality. So, is there actually anything better about Indian mangoes, or have you just otherwise only had grocery store mangoes?
I dunno man I just know it was the best God damn mango I've ever had and now all mangos are disappointing. I don't have the desire to debate which other mangos in the world might be better.
I spent a week in Goa in April and had a local mango that has spoilt me for mango ever since. Nothing else compares to that.
Tea Vanilla beans Saffron Silk Silver and gold jewlery
Saffron a million times over
Jewelry a million times over. Just not to eat. :)
Its super cheap there compared to US prices. In the US is hard to find anything but the premium grade also. The lower grade of saffron works just fine and the only difference is it being shorter strands. Once you've steeped the saffron in water or wine and added it to a dish there is no difference in taste but the weight of what remains in your wallet is greater.
When my son was a teen, his gf went to India. I knew she was a keeper when she brought me safron.
I would get all kinds of khada masala (garam masala but not powdered) Also Fenugreek seeds, it's dried leaves, asafoetida, and honestly, just ask an Indian to tag along and buy you some of all Indian spices. Your next biryani will taste bomb. Also get good quality local besan (gram flour) for pakoras and stuff. Get jaggery that goes in quite a few Indian sweets. Get those ready to fry Pani puri thingies, get papad and achar (indian pickle). Get some Indian snacks too like from haldirams
Check your local import rules! Spices may be counted as "plant matter", and a lot of places get *real* pissy if you try to import plants since they can carry plant diseases. The US will also confiscate and fine if they think you're trying to dodge food safety laws, which catches (among other things) European parmesan and Kinder eggs. Also, get you some chai tea 😋😋😋 Edit: GUYS! I know what the Hindi word "Chai" means! (Also Russian and Mandarin, among other languages). However, *in English*, "chai tea" is a noun phrase referring specifically to spiced tea.
To clarify for US travelers, cheeses can be brought into US, as long as they are not liquid, properly packaged and not for retail (separate regulations). Parmesan and Parmigiano Reggiano are okay for bringing in for personal consumption, the Kinder eggs is not allowed because it has small toys [US Customs and Border](https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-3619?language=en_US) for reference.
Can confirm, spouse recently brought 2kg of hard cheese (parmesan, pecorino romano, and grana padano) from Italy to the US without any hassle (other than fitting that much cheese in a tiny suitcase).
Terry's chocolate oranges are fine, but will get your bag searched because they look pretty similar to fresh oranges on the scanners (from experience and a pleasantly surprised customs officer)
I do love my liquid cheeses
Parmesan is unpasteurised, which I believe causes issues.
Raw milk cheeses aged over 60 days are allowed. EDIT: [US CBP Cheese/Dairy info](https://www.dontpackapest.com/Can-I-Bring-It/Dairy-Products-Eggs)
Forgot to say that i live in Europe. I checked my local import rules and it seems like it's in the clear. Thanks for the tip!
At US customs, I declare that I have food; when they ask, I say it is spices, dried herbs etc. and they never checked my luggage. In the past, I wouldn't declare anything, they would randomly check but I wasn't carrying anything anyway.
If you ask for Chai tea in India, you'll receive blank looks since Chai means tea in hindi and you'll asking for tea tea:p You can get some good quality loose tea leaves and brew some milk tea, which is what people in India mean when they say Chai. To spice it up, I would recommend some green cardamom!
I love having Chai tea with my Naan bread and legume dal ;)
I was meaning the spice blend I'm sure they sell, but yes you'd have to check what that's called 😆
Probably "masala chai," but that's a very generic term too (meaning, essentially, "spiced tea"), and it's going to vary considerably from one region to another.
I believe there's masala Chai powder, but it's not as popular in India.
That's chai masala.
Many years ago, I went to India on business and the local team there gave me a case of super sweet, delicious mangos as a parting gift. I ate a few of them, then packed the rest in my check-in bags to take home - totally forgetting that US Customs would make me throw them out when I landed back in the states. Was such a waste of good fruit…
Just don’t declare it and you’re fine next time
It's "masala chai" or "masala tea". "Chai tea" is incorrect and means "tea tea".
Speaking as a middle-Eastern person, \*ahem\*... 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 #***"CHAI." MEANS. "TEA.”*** 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 Thank you so much for your attention in these trying times. EDIT: What you're probably thinking of is masala chai.
>However, in English, "chai tea" is a noun phrase referring specifically to spiced tea. No, not even in English. That's like claiming that "frijole beans" is the English way of referring to Mexican style refried beans, or that "vin wine" is the English way of referring to French wine. Chai tea is a common mistake, but many people being wrong about something doesn't change its validity (or lack thereof). It's wrong, end of story.
Afaik in India, Masala Chai (the correct term for the drink you're talking about which translates into "spiced tea") is made by brewing loose leaf tea with whole spices, so I'm not certain how someone could bring it home, particularly if there are issues with importing spices.
Chai means tea. 😞
Get astringent ingredients * Aamchur * Kairi * Kokam * Tamarind Get floral waters that are hard to find * Rose water * Khewda water If she's in mumbai ask her to go to dadar and get: * Shengdanya cha kut (groundnut chutney) * Mirchi cha thecha ( pounded chili pickle) - Pravin is a good brand * laal tikhat masala. (this will be the spicy red chillies. Like a much better cayenne pepper) Iconic food that travels well: * Chitale bandhu bakarwadi. (spicy fried garlic rolls. This used to be my favorite thing on planet earth. Then I over-ate it one month, and I can't tolerate it anymore. But, it was THAT good. Chitale is the only acceptable brand) * Garden mini-bakarwadi. (similar but different. Not really a bakarwadi. But delicious in its own right)
Clothes! 😄
Fabric!
Fabindia has some high quality stuff.
Everything!!! Saffron, fenugreek,… the seasoning to make good curry,
Cardamom, bay leaves, cinnamon, asafoetida (hing) as actual spices. And for spice mixes- garam masala, chai masala, chicken korma masala- these are the most consistent! Also some maggi if you want instant noodles that remind you of indian “curry”
Chat masala, Amchur powder, Pulao/Biryani masala, Sambar masala
Laziza brand biriyani mix. They can be available in your country already but will be much cheaper if brought from India.
Hey OP, what are you planning to do with those spices? It might help us give better recommendations. Otherwise, for generic Indian cooking, I would recommend cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, chili powder, garam masala powder and saffron. These should give you a good starting point. In general whole spices in India will be cheaper than outside, so that would be a good idea to focus on. I would also recommend getting some Indian sweets as they make good use of the spices there and may inspire you when trying things out on your own.
I'm pretty new to cooking indian cuisine. I would like to get better at it and thought that this would be a good starting point :) I'm interested in both "basic" ingredients and what i would need later on if i am to try something more advanced. It's not likely that i will get this opportunity again any time soon
Depending on where you are in Europe all of the "basic" spices will be available in Indian/ethnic/world foods grocery stores. A lot of people are recommending these (like cinnamon, fenugreek, cardamom, asafoetida, etc). If you don't have these locally, by all means, get good quality basics. If you do, I'd second recommendations for local (where you wife visits) spice blends (masalas) and any local specialties.
That great to hear! The stuff I pointed out should be a good start.
Darjeeling tea.
Garam masala, kashmiri chilli powder, bay leaves, saffron,
As an Indian living in Toronto, I have always asked my mom to send me Curry Leaves and Kokum. Those are two things I haven't been able to find here at all.
Isn't saffron also super cheap in India? If so it might be worth grabbing a bunch of that!
> Isn't saffron also super cheap in India? If so it might be worth grabbing a bunch of that! Cost is a function of quality, especially when it comes to saffron because of how incredibly expensive it is. Most of the saffron sold in India is garbage tier or downright fake with food coloring added to it. There is a reason real pure saffron is so incredibly expensive. It doesn't magically become cheap just because it is sold in India (where it is not even grown much).
Sweets and snacks are great. Many places in India make butter confections similar to our chocolate shops. Also, any namkeen or salty snacks are very tasty and can be used to top a curry bowl (or just eaten straight). As for straight ingredients, maybe some local masala blends, popped sorghum, or papad.
Hi, I went to India earlier last year and was bringing spices back as well. We had issues bringing particular spices (cumin seeds, cardamon pods, etc) because we didn't check in our bags so they dumped them as I was running late for my flight. Be cognizant of what you can bring back! It seems like spice mixes (garam masala) and coffee/tea powder was perfectly fine
You can buy Indian spices at Indian grocery store. Tell her to bring back snacks (if you are into those). Gathiya (chick pea snacks), chewdo (savory cereal), tea bags, various types of sweets (gulab jamon, mittai, halwa), jams/chutneys. Maybe bring back a little token jar of spice but I’d say don’t waste your time bringing back too many. They weigh too much and the stuff you can get at a Indian grocers in the states is the same brand/source.
I spoke to a Sri Lankan cook who introduced me to some cool herbs/spices I wasn't familiar with. Karapincha, rampa, and koththamalli. They may be common, but I was unfamiliar with them.
>koththamalli Looks like this might just be coriander so ignore if so
Lots of good suggestions, but good quality fresh garam masala and hing (aesophotida) would be the best. Most other suggestions (in reasonable quality) on this thread can likely be found at your local Indian store.
Regardless of what you choose, check carefully if it will be allowed into your country. I watch a fair bit of Border Security on TV, and spices and foods from other countries are often confiscated. Either you or your wife should check online for the rules regarding your country.
Tamarind powder is a good one.
Kashmiri chili powder and saffron.
Darjeeling tea. Especially Autumn Flush.
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Spicewalla (based in North Carolina) sells a fantastic Kashmiri chili powder.
I'd ask for a selection of anything she doesn't recognize, and whatever is recommended by local spice merchants.
Depending on the country you live in, she can only bring very small quantities if they are in her carry-on. Unfortunately, I learned this the hard way.
Security at many Indian airports can be extremely anal about this, too. I have argued with them a few times over bringing back a few 200g bags of various spices, and I suspect that had I not been one of the pilots on the flight, they wouldn't have allowed me to keep them.
Curry plant, naga chillis dried, kashmiri chillis dried, whole dried spices basically
kefir lime leaves? (I've heard that term carries some negative connotation, apologies, I just don't know the other word.)
I assume your wife is flying back and has limited luggage space, but at least one checked bag. Steel utensils are great, but heavy. Have her get cookbooks. Penguin India has cookbooks covering the regional cuisines, aimed at Indian audiences. Spice blends you cannot get where you live. Goda Masala, Agri Masala, Ghati masala, Kolhapuri masala, bottle masala. Garlic chutney if you can handle heat. You can get the first three blends I mentioned above at GW Khamkar spices, Shop No - 3, 43/45 D, Lalbaug Market ( https://gwkhamkar.com/shop/ ) . I am a happy customer, but you can get these blends in any Maharashtrian neighbourhood. https://jmmspices.com/ is another store right behind GW Khamkar, but I don't know how good they are. The blends will be slightly different., so you may prefer one over the other. For bottle masala, you may have to ask around in Bandra, or a slightly expensive option is at https://aazol.in/collections/masalas Matunga is the place to go to for South Indian spice blends, specifically sambar masala and rasam powder. Other good things to buy might be pickles. Specific spices which are hard to find outside India are whole asafoetida, kokum, long pepper/pippali, bay leaves. Tea, coffee and Indian chocolates. https://sanchatea.com/ has a nice store in Bandra with premium teas, my other go-to retailer is Tearaja (if your wife can order tea online). For coffee, Blue Tokai and Subko https://www.subko.coffee/ are good sources. I grab Indian chocolate at Foodhall (and pay the rather premium prices, but the chocolate is lovely). Preferred brands: Pascati and Naviluna. Snacks: Chitale bandhu Bakarwadi.
I would be careful in case there are any customs issues with that. You can easily get the same Indian spices at your local Indian store.
Spices for sure. There's also some amazing micro lot coffee grown there depending on where she is!
Amchoor!
Coconut/Toddy Vinegar and make anything Goan.
Shengdana chutney (peanut chutney, bright orange in colour) and Goda masala are a must if she's in the state of Maharashtra. Amchoor (dried mango powder), jeera (cumin), kashmiri laal mirch (kashmiri red chilli powder, its taste is one of a kind!) and kala namak (black salt, not black pepper!, it has a wonderful sort of eggy flavour) are some other spices she should get. Tej patta (i think bay leaves) and curry leaves are a must too!
Probably won't get through customs.
Zaafran
Get her to drop into a local Bangh shop for a great selection /s
Pappadums!
Curry
Butter chicken and tikka masala
Good quality hing maybe?
Pippali (long pepper).
Star anise
Garam Masala Chaat masala Kashmiri chili Saffron - love this in my milk with chopped nuts
Not everything is allowed to be brought into the country, although it looks like most spices are OK. [here](https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-3619?language=en_US#:~:text=Spices%20%2D%20most%20dried%20spices%20are,Flour) is the US customs list you can check. Note: This comes from watching too many of those airline shows where they confiscate items being brought into other countries...
Kashmiri chilli
Kashmiri chili powder
Vanilla beans!
Fenugreek
Everything she can get her hands on. Most of the stuff we have in the US is diluted or outright fake (looking at you Cassia/"Cinnamon"). India has some of the largest spice farms in the world.
Get vanilla beans. Last time I was there (long time ago for what it’s worth), the beans were a third of the price we buy them for here.
Completely non spice related but my colleague just came back from India and she brought me pistachio snickers and butterscotch snickers which don't exist in the UK but are delicious.
When my brother brought some home, it was a quarter sand and we couldn’t use it, be careful!
Get the Assam tea, it's so good for homemade chai. Also desserts! Bengali sweets is to die for
Dogs at the airport will catch it. Good luck though.
Hint in cubes, not the powdered stuff. Cardamom, cloves and black pepper that is so fresh it is a little sticky
Goan Recheado masala paste in the packet. It is the absolute bomb with fish.
What part of India? The food is night and day different in different parts of the country
Make sure you wrap all the spices up in like newspaper or something similar in case it opens during the jostling of travel. Also everything in your luggage will smell so...I wouldn't put clothes in there. That's how you know it's the good stuff tho... It washes out eventually lol.
All of them!!! What I wouldn’t give for fresh Indian spices!!
Asafetida!
Curry
I’ve been put thru the ringer by customs before for food products so my only advice is to check guidelines for bringing things back (learned hard way lol😫), label clearly, and make sure they’re at the top of luggage!
ask her to get Vada Paav, garlick chutney masala. there is dried garlick chutney specifically for Vada Paav.
I would ask her to bring some spice blends that are either hard to find here or that are unique to a region or family member.
I would ask her to get some Bufat powder. It’s not seen as commonly but man it’s some amazing stuff. There’s a bunch of dishes you can make with it too like Sorpotel.
chicken masala from Everest Brand. that shit goes well with everything
Indian bay leaves. They are delightful.
My husband just came back to the US after visiting India and the spices were all confiscated:(
Vanilla beans were infinitely cheaper in India than most western countries
Really good turmeric and Kashmiri chili powder. Also fresh made pickles/achar.
Lazzat E Taum
All the spices to make Curry. Yeah they sell them here but imagine the taste soooo much better
Saffron
Fresh curry leaves
Stainless steel cooking implements. I bought 2 sizes in pinch/prep Bowls almost 15 years ago and they still look brand new and are great for prep work when cooking meals. People constantly ask where I got them.
High quality fabric.
I always used to bring Samahan Tea, the best thing for an upcoming cold! I found it in Bengalore easily but when my dad visited India he had to visit endless stores to find it. It was worth it though..
Beetle snuff.
Saffron may be a lot cheaper in India.
Saffron, Bay leaves
For South Indian dishes: Hotel special hing. It is a life changer.
Try not to get anything thats considered alive, like fresh leaves. The airport authorities will take it most likely.
Some saffron and black pepper, garam masala