Sattva : Issue 12
Nutrition booster seed mix, my top favourite spice mixes, monsoon playlist and more.
Sattva (सत्त्व) is a beautiful Sanskrit word that has many meanings—spirit, true essence, good sense, wisdom, quality of purity, energy, consciousness and mind, among other things.
Through this fortnightly newsletter, I want to bring to you all things good, which will make your life better. My focus will be on topics such as mindfulness, productivity, slow living and sustainability, accompanied by genuinely useful recommendations of products, books, music, links to read, and of course food and recipes. Through these, I hope to instil some Sattva in your life.
This edition of Sattva has turned out much longer than usual, so please get your cup of tea or coffee and settle down. I was writing about some of my favourite topics and I had so much to share with you, which meant going well over the usual word count. Stay with me, will you?
Everyday Superfoods Focus: Nutrition Booster Seed mix
If you follow me on Instagram, you will know that I use a toasted seed mix generously in my foods like oatmeal, salads and dips. Given that I get a number of questions on this ‘topping’, here’s the complete low-down on my nutrition booster seed mix.
What seeds do I use?
I usually use any 4-5 different seeds I have at home. Here’s what I used this time:
Sunflower seeds
Pumpkin Seeds
Black sesame seeds
Cress seeds (aliv)
Chia seeds
Flaxseeds
I buy 500 gram packs of each if I’m making a large batch. You can make yours with 250 grams of each seed, which gives you a 1.5 kg batch. Keep any leftover seeds in the freezer. Due to their high oil content, they tend to go rancid if left at room temperature. You’ll find my seeds shopping list here and they come in resealable bags so it is easy to pop any leftovers in the freezer in the same bag.
You can also use melon seeds, quinoa and hemp hearts (shelled seeds).
How to make this seed mix?
The easiest way to make this is to just mix the raw seeds and transfer to a bottle. I prefer toasting as the seeds are more aromatic and the crunch makes it easier to chew the seeds.
Mix sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, black sesame seeds, cress seeds in a large pan and toast over a low flame for 5 minutes, stirring constantly until aromatic. The sesame seeds will start popping after 4-5 minutes and that’s ok. You don’t want to brown the seeds. Let it cool. Mix in 250 g of chia seeds. Fill in an airtight jar.
I like to toast the flaxseeds separately as they take slightly longer to crisp up. I prefer them to get really crunchy otherwise it tends to stick to the teeth when you munch on it. You can either toast flax seeds separately and combine into the seed mix or keep in a separate bottle.
If you’ve made a big batch of the seed mix, keep a small bottle in a cool dark place for daily use (omega 3 oxidises in the presence of light) and store the rest in the fridge or freezer so it doesn’t go rancid.
What are the health benefits?
I have written in detail about this toasted seed mix in my book Everyday Superfoods. Seeds are rich in fibre, healthy fats, protein, omega 3 (flaxseeds, chia seeds) and polyphenolic antioxidants. Seeds are also a good source of important vitamins and minerals like vitamin E and zinc, selenium and magnesium. This toasted seed mix is your natural aid for great hair, skin and immunity, and overall wellness. Flax seeds and chia seeds are a rich source of omega 3 for vegans and vegetarians. Use flaxseed in ground form added to roti-atta or to baked goods for best availability of omega 3 as it is present on the tough outer coat of the seeds which is not digested or absorbed easily.
7 ways to use this toasted seed mix
A sprinkle of this toasted seed mix can boost the nutrient value of any dish.
Add to smoothies or use as a topping in smoothie bowls
Top raita with a generous sprinkling of the seed mix - crunch, flavour and super nutritious
Garnish thick soups with a tablespoon of seeds
Make a yogurt bowl with yogurt topped with granola, mixed seeds, fruit preserve
Add to home baked bread and muffins
Garnish salads and dips like hummus
You can also munch on a spoon of this after a meal like a mukhwas.
These are a few of my favourite spice mixes
No matter how much you cook from scratch, some spice mixes are just better store bought. Here are some that I swear by and you will always find these in my kitchen / fridge.
Chhole masala - Goldiee
I have lost count of the number of people I have recommended this masala to. No Goldiee chhole masala, no chhole, that’s how we roll. The company is owned by a dear friend’s cousin’s family. Over 13 years ago, she had given me a small carton of spices from Goldiee that included chhole masala along with some other masalas and their super potent Heera hing. I can sing paeans for their heeng (asafoetida) but I will reserve that for a later issue. After I had finished the sample stock my friend gave me, I made sure to order from their website regularly and always stock up on Goldiee chhole masala. All their spices are easily available on Amazon. Their packaging has a Bollywood actor’s picture on the pack (why?!) but let that not dissuade you. As far as food brand recommendations go, this is always my top one!
Store link on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3zkQ09y
Bonus: Goldiee’s chaat masala is very dark in colour, nearly black, possibly from the well roasted spices and is a blast of umami.
Dhansak masala - Mangal Masala
Mangal Masala is a 105 year old company from Grant Road in Mumbai. They have nearly 100 products that include spice mixes, pure spices and more, including some specialty Parsi spice mixes. This masala was recommended by our friends Kurush and Rhea Dalal, who run Katy’s Kitchen, a much loved Parsi catering company. I have been using this masala for over 12 years now and it gives me the perfect tasting (vegetarian!) dhansak every single time . Just adding a spoon of this masala to regular dal makes it taste amazing, and that kuch-naya-hai wala feeling. I have seen this masala brand sold in supermarkets in Mumbai but not in Bengaluru. Online shopping it is! If you’re like me, you’ll spend a joyous time just browsing their massive range of spices.
Website: https://www.mangalmasala.com/
Bonus: I also love their Supreme tea masala for that perfect cup of Guju masala chai.
Pav Bhaji Masala - Everest
Being from Mumbai, I am a self-certified Pav Bhaji connoisseur. One whiff and I can tell if it is going to be worth the calories. Pav bhaji masala which is a combination of 15 or more different spices is something I prefer to buy and not make. Imagine sourcing and stocking all these different spices in your kitchen and then making sure they don’t spoil - too much work! Also, why try to create something that spice companies have spent decades perfecting?
I have always used Everest Pav bhaji masala and I love the flavour. But I also wanted to make sure if that was indeed the best because I don't remember using any other brand. I did a quick poll on Twitter and results were overwhelmingly in favour of Everest.
Badshah, Suhana, Roopak and Masala Tokri were also well recommended. Check out the other reccos in response to this tweet.
All the recommended masalas that have a presence on Amazon can be found in my Amazon store.
Sandwich masala - Spyran
Does a sandwich even need a masala you may ask. We are desis and we like spice in every dish. Why do you think we have brands selling ‘pasta masala’? Truth be told, the Mumbai sandwich has a kind of smoky, addictive spice mix that the sandwich vendor shakes from a recycled plastic bottle with holes poked through the lid.
I used to like this sandwich masala from an insanely popular sandwich haunt in Santacruz West (Mumbai) called Sandwizzaa (don’t ask me about the spelling, numerology, may be?). Extra large triangular slices of bread loaded to the gills with fillings and cheese grilled to perfection and it was 10 minutes of excruciating waiting time replete with hungry eyes, watering mouth and a rumbling stomach. It was truly amazing stuff (still is, I suppose). You needed 2-3 people to finish one of their sandwiches. They also sold their masala (Spicezzaa) in the shop and it was easy to pick one small bottle that lasted over a year. I see the masala listed on their website, but I see no way to buy it.
My current love, the Spyran sandwich masala is a more recent discovery. This is a very famous brand in Vadodara (Gujarat). A few years ago, my husband’s colleague was visiting his home city Vadodara and he sent us a Whatsapp message with the menu from this spice shop. My mind was boggled at how the product list went on and on. I ordered a few things and I cannot tell you how excellent the quality, fragrance and flavour of each of the spice mixes was. He got me a kilo of pickle masala. It’s been nearly 3 years but it has stayed well in the freezer. I use it as and when required along with raw mangoes, carrots, or Gujarati dishes like dal, muthia etc and it is still in top notch condition. That should tell you about the quality of their products. The sandwich masala is excellent in potato subzis also also in the alu paratha filling.
Website: http://spyranretail.com/index
Sambar powder - Eastern
Sambar with freshly ground spice paste (arachuvitta sambar) is the best kind by a mile and I always have an extra helping of it. But it’s not practical for everyday cooking to roast the spices, grind it to a paste and the extra time taken, extra washing etc. I make my own sambar powder from time to time but just a small bottle’s worth which lasts me 3-4 weeks. I sometimes miss keeping the next batch ready and sambar being one dish I make at least a few times a week, I cannot afford to run out of sambar powder. The sambar powder we make at home contains coriander seeds, red chilies, chana dal and fenugreek seeds as the main ingredients. Some families add some cumin seeds and black pepper, but that’s only used in rasam in my home. I have tried many brands and the one I like best is Eastern as it has similar ingredients in the powder compared to what we make at home. It’s also low in spice / heat, due to usage of Kashmiri chilies, so that I can use a generous quantity of the powder for the flavour without making the sambar too spicy.
They have 3 varieties of sambar powder out of which 2 have the same list of ingredients. I haven’t noticed much of a taste difference between the variants but there is a small difference in the ingredients listed at the back of the pack.
Brahmin’s sambar powder and Madras Sambar powder list the same ingredients on the pack (coriander, chilli, tur dal, fenugreek, Kashmiri chili, salt, turmeric, asafoetida, tamarind, black pepper) and the third variety is labelled as Sambar powder (coriander, chilli, gram dal, urad dal, fenugreek, salt, curry leaf, turmeric, asafoetida)
Pick any one because they all taste as good.
All the recommended masalas that have a presence on Amazon can be found in my Amazon store.
If you have any masala brand that you want to recommend, do leave a comment below or share this newsletter edition on your social media along with your best recco.
Monsoon playlist
Monsoon in India is a mood, something that no other season evokes. It swings between the high drama of torrential downpours and the slow melancholy of grey cloudy days when time seems to stand still.
In Bengaluru, where I live, the sun becomes elusive for these two to three months. Laundry does not dry to a crisp. The craving for hot ginger tea is a constant. The grey skies are beautifully contrasted by the eye popping greens from trees, plants and bushes that sweetly threaten to invade the rooms through the windows. The vetiver and frankincense incense sticks make my home smell like the woods and strains from this monsoon playlist complete this mood.
As someone who learns and sings Hindustani classical music, that genre is the mainstay of my monsoon playlist. Even if you are new to this music, you will love the mood it sets. Malhar and its family of raags are easy to fall in love with. Malhar also called Miyan ki Malhar as it is said to have been created by the legendary musician Tansen who was a part of the navaratnas in Mughal emperor Akbar’s court. Many historical accounts talk about how singing this raag can induce rain.
There are a few enchanting stories around this raag. Tansen was asked to sing raag Deepak in Akbar’s court. When he sang this raag, the lamps in the courtyard lit up magically. As Tansen continued singing raag Deepak, his body got hotter and hotter. He sat in the river to cool himself and the river water also started heating up. Someone had to sing him raag Malhar to bring rains that would cool him down. Sisters Tana and Riri sang raag Malhar which brought down heavy rains and Mian Tansen was thus relieved of his plight.
Find the spring time playlist in Issue 05 of Sattva.
Events, columns, articles
I wrote about choosing the right superfoods as per your need in HT Brunch. You can read it here.
Talk on 11 ways to incorporate superfoods in your diet for the Chennai International Center - catch the recording of my talk here.
Instagram live with Siddharth Ramasubramanian, founder of Hello Tempayy, a brand of the nutrient rich ingredient, tempeh - watch it here.
Instagram live with Binks, an online tailoring platform on my tryst with sarees
Instagram live with Livealt life on my book Everyday Superfoods
Mint column on sumac, a spice that is the taste of the Levant and recipes for Palestinian Fattoush and a Sumac roasted veggie dip that is super delicious.
Mint column on Rajma and why it is the best ingredient for meal prep, recipes for a rajma salad and refried beans.
I would love your feedback on the newsletter. If you like what you read, please share it with your family and friends. I am grateful for your help in reaching my newsletter to a wider audience. See you in two weeks!
Nandita Iyer
Books: Everyday Superfoods | The Everyday Healthy Vegetarian
Blog: https://saffrontrail.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/saffrontrail
Instagram: https://instagram.com/saffrontrail
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This is such a good post. I wish more people talked about ingredients. I discovered Eastern's sambar at Kappa Chakka Kandhari and have been meaning to get some of the masala and try it out.
I have tried some lesser-known brands like Sri Varaha Foods and Sweet Karam Coffee in Chennai for sambar powder, and they are better than the usual store-bought brands like 777, Aachis, and MTR.
I wonder if you have tried other Heeng brands like SS Pandian https://www.sspandian.com/product/asafoetida/