Masalamandi: A guide to the world of Indian spice blends

Absolutely love how detailed the book was especially with the knowledge of masalas, how famous eateries cook, how different regions use different ingredients and how beautifully it blends storytelling with recipes and how the recipe transports you to a time period, place worth heading to.

I bought this for my friends abroad that love Indian food. The book is surprisingly light and is beautifully designed. Ideal for gifting to all Indian food and history enthusiasts This is for all the foodies out there, who want to understand the complex science and history of Indian spices and how it is used to create the most diverse flavours like by everyone across the world. One of my friends in Toronto uses this book at his restaurant to tell the story of what goes inside our food, and how that evolved in the last few decades. Absolutely love it. Great work by Chef Sadaf Hussain

Masala Mandi is a delightful and enriching read that celebrates the essence of Indian cooking through its spices. Sadaf Hussain beautifully combines culinary wisdom with personal reflections, making the book feel both informative and deeply personal. The writing is warm, inviting, and filled with nostalgia, drawing you into the stories behind each blend. The section on biryani, for instance, reads like poetry. It captures not just the recipe but the emotion, culture, and family traditions tied to the dish. Every page is layered with history, regional insights, and a deep respect for the roots of Indian cuisine. This book is not just a collection of spice blends. It’s a celebration of identity, memories, and the soulful art of cooking. Whether you’re a passionate cook or someone who loves stories wrapped in the aroma of masalas, Masala Mandi is a book you’ll keep returning to. However, I do wish to mention that the packaging from Amazon was once again quite disappointing. The book arrived without any bubble wrap, simply placed in a brown paper bag. For a book so special, this careless handling is frustrating and takes away from the joy of receiving it. The content, thankfully, makes up for it but the delivery experience certainly needs improvement. ONE LESS STAR FOR THAT!!

If Masala Lab by Krish Ashok was about the science behind Indian spices, the flavonoids and oils that compliment in a pairing. Masala Mandi is about the art of mixing them and creating wonderful variations. These variations are at the heart of Indian cooking as no recipes are standardised or documented as a reference recipe. Sadaf has illustrated this well with numerous examples of recipes that differ in their spice mixes. Must read for foodies.

“What a delightful read! Sadaf leaves no spice or city unexplored, weaving a beautifully researched and vividly written journey through India’s rich culinary landscape. A must-read for every food lover!”

Good research done by the author to amalgamate different sub spice blends from all over India. A great handy book for people in love with Indian Cuisine.

All the things have been described very well, I am very impressed and I have never seen the chef but coincidentally he is my parents' neighbour and I would definitely like to meet him.

This was so disappointing. There are hardly any recipes, just lots of lists of ingredients for masalas, that’s all. It would have been so much better if the author had actually given us recipes along with each blend.

Excellent, very well written and structured, literally a comprehensive encyclopedia of information on spices and herbs. Including receipes on various Garam masala receipes. Would highly recommend this book.

This book is sensational! Encyclopedic in breadth and depth. I can’t wait to dive into the chai masala chapter. Regional and historical facts combine to create a masterpiece.

This book has a very good list of different Biryani's, Masala's (spice mixtures) and more

Beautiful book of not so common Indian masala mixes and well worth it if interested in individual Indian food regions.