Kanda Lasun Masala

The taste that cities keep trying to recreate There is a version of Maharashtrian cooking that happens in home kitchens in smaller towns and villages — where the masala is made from scratch, where onions and garlic are roasted on a tava before grinding, where the chilli is chosen for colour as much as heat, and where the final dish has a depth that is difficult to explain to someone who has only eaten restaurant versions of it. Khilar Masale's Kanda Lasun Masala is built to carry that flavour into everyday cooking without asking the cook to start from zero every time. It is the traditional village taste, ground and packed for the modern kitchen. What gives it its character The masala is built on roasted onion and garlic — the two ingredients that give Maharashtrian gravies their characteristic base. Roasting before grinding makes a significant difference: the raw sharpness softens, the natural sugars in the onion caramelise slightly, and the garlic loses its bite while gaining a deeper, more rounded flavour. The dried red chillies are not incidental — they are central to the masala's brick-red colour and its layered heat, which builds gradually rather than arriving all at once. Whole spices — coriander, cumin, black pepper, cardamom, and others — are incorporated during the roasting process, allowing their essential oils to be released and absorbed into the blend rather than sitting separately on top of it. The result is a ground masala with a deep reddish-brown colour, a strong roasted aroma when the pouch is opened, and a flavour that spreads through a dish as it cooks rather than fading midway. Where it belongs in the kitchen This masala earns its place in the daily cooking rotation rather than sitting at the back of the shelf for special occasions. A spoonful stirred into hot oil before the main ingredients go in builds a flavour base that carries through the entire dish. In misal and usal, it gives the gravy its body and heat. In batata bhaji and mixed vegetable curries, it adds the onion-garlic depth that plain turmeric-and-chilli seasoning cannot provide. In non-vegetarian cooking — chicken, mutton, egg curry — it functions as the essential first layer of flavour before any other spice is added. For home versions of street food, it works well in vada pav stuffing, pav bhaji masala, and as a finishing spice for tawa-cooked snacks. At 120 grams per pack, it is sized to last a regular household through several weeks of daily cooking. Why roasting changes everything Most commercially produced onion-garlic masalas are made from dehydrated powders mixed together — fast to produce, consistent in texture, but flat in flavour. Khilar Masale slow-roasts the onion, garlic, and spices before grinding, which preserves the natural oils in the spices and develops the flavour compounds that only emerge through heat. This is the same process a home cook in Maharashtra would use if making the masala from scratch — and the difference between this and an unroasted blend shows clearly in the colour of the finished dish and the way the aroma behaves when it hits hot oil. No artificial colours or preservatives are used. The brick-red colour in both the masala and the finished curry comes from the chilli and roasted onion — not from added dye. Specifications Net Weight: 250 g Key Ingredients: Onion, garlic, dried red chilli, coriander, cumin, black pepper, cardamom, spices Shelf Life: 12 months from date of manufacture Artificial colours: None Preservatives: None Packaging: Resealable kraft stand-up pouch Storage Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight. Keep the pouch sealed tightly between uses to preserve the roasted aroma. Avoid storing near the stovetop or in a damp cabinet. Use within 12 months of manufacture for best flavour and colour. About the Entrepreneur Ranjana Raut has been in the onion-garlic masala business for eight years. She started from home initially. Mann Deshi Foundation gave her business a boost. The demand for her products began to grow. Ranjana manages the entire business herself. This venture helped her create her own identity.