What is a Masala Dabba? Reflections on a humble yet iconic spice storage solution

What is a Masala Dabba? Reflections on a humble yet iconic spice storage solution, by Sanjay

The Masala Dabba is right at the heart of Indian cookery and culture. Its origins can be traced right back to ancient India, so its history is as vibrant as the spices it contains. 

Mum told me that prior to the Dabba, families used all sorts of containers to store and organise their spices, and the stainless-steel tin evolved over time into a compact and practical solution for everyday cookery as it allows home cooks to have to hand their favourite, go-to spices while they are cooking.

Although typically made of stainless-steel (but sometimes wood), the Dabba has seven small, round compartments within the larger circular container, each holding a different spice. These compartments are usually arranged in a circle around a central container (traditionally for salt), and the entire assembly is topped with a lid. 

The tin was often passed from generation to generation, and with it came family recipes, memories and a good few bumps, dents and scratches for good measure. From grandmother's best-kept-secret spice blend that everyone wanted to make, to auntie's advice on the perfect ratio of cumin to coriander for a dal, the Dabba contained all that lovely know-how that comes from regularly cooking and eating together as a family.

Mum also told me the Dabba used to be passed from mother to daughter on the eve of her wedding as a gift. As daughters prepared to start their own families, receiving a Masala Dabba from their mother was a rite-of-passage if you like, symbolising the transfer of cookery knowledge and familial tradition that she could take forward into her own family.

Continuing the gifting tradition of the Masala Dabba 

Since we have been running Spice Kitchen, Mum and I love hearing that our spice tins are being gifted for other rite-of-passage moments, such as new homes, presents for grown-up children leaving for university, and as wedding gifts. People have also bought tins for their partners for their ten-year ‘tin’ wedding anniversary, and, as a-tongue-in-cheek joke, I filled a tin of my wife’s favourite sweets for our 10 year anniversary (thank goodness she saw the funny side). 

While traditional Masala Dabbas are still heirlooms in many households, there are now lots of modern adaptations that reflect our modern, changing lives. So, you might find Dabbas made from materials like plastic or ceramic, gorgeous hand-painted Dabbas, wooden boxes and sometimes square tins. 

When deciding which option was best for Spice Kitchen, mum and I felt we wanted to stay true to the round tin design... but... our modern twist is to have a range of different cookery themed tins, so as well as our original Indian Tin, we’ve created a Middle Eastern, World, Chilli and even a Gin Botanicals tin, to offer collections that reflect the eclectic way we cook in our kitchens today.

What spices go into a Masala Dabba?

Indian food is known for its bold and vibrant flavours, which can easily be accredited to the various spices used in every component of every dish. A Masala Dabba or Indian Spice Box is the simplest way to keep all those spices fresh, to hand, and organised in one place

The ideal starter kit for budding home cooks and experienced chefs who wish to recreate Indian dishes and curries at home should include some of the staples of Indian cooking:-

• Garam Masala 
• Cassia Bark
• Chilli Powder 
• Cumin Seeds
• Coriander Powder 
• Mustard Seeds 
• Turmeric Powder 
• Cloves 
• Cardamom 

How to look after your spices

Most spices, especially those that are ground, are known to lose their flavour and aroma relatively quickly. With this in mind, having small amounts of spices stored in the masala dabba means that they will stay fresh whilst you can keep the rest of the spices tucked away in airtight containers in the cupboard.

This means you won’t have to keep opening these air-tight containers every time you need a pinch of cumin, keeping your spices fresher, more vibrant and aromatic for longer.