what am i doing wrong?? everytime i make saalan with khara masala, instead of using shan masala, it comes out bad…
shan masala makes it taste so good but when i use the ingredients from home it’s tasteless and just bleh…why? 
P.S. keep in mind im a noob, im still learning the abcs of cooking…may be that’s why my food sucks? 
WHY???
Because according to the commercial: Shan hai to sab aasaan hai. 
Hmm, well there could be a variety of reasons. Perhaps the spices you are using are not of the best quality. Perhaps you’re not using the right combination of spices or the recipe isn’t being followed right. Perhaps you’re using too much in cooking?
Just stick to the shan masala mix. Just because you use the mix doesn’t mean that your cooking is less original. It will still have your own unique style.
Re: how come??
the combination and quantity of spices..i doubt shan masala has written their exact combo.
and yeah, nothign wrong in using shan.
I use shan masala all the time, but I use it in creative ways, like gosht or haleem ka masala in plain daaL etc...
Re: how come??
^yeh, i use karhai masala in just about every dish i make except italian and chinese :) haha
Re: how come??
Maybe you like your food spicy. Shaan masalas are sooo spicy. Did you try increasing the amount of khara masalas you use.. also, what dishes are you struggling with in which you are using your own masalas??
Re: how come??
Possible bcos Shan has got untold amounts of MSG (flavour enhancer) in it, and possibly lead???
Re: how come??
There is a thread here somewhere. Haven't looked for it but it was about blending your own garam masala. I guess you just need to experiment with quantities more than anything.
Make sure you keep masalas in a cool, dry place. Sunlight and warmth can distort flavours. Also, buy smaller quantities if need be and try out different companies. Look for the best before date.
Re: how come??
no, it can’t be that the masalas have gone bad, because my mom makes regular food and uses the same masalas and they come out beautifully :jano:
i was trying to make balti chicken from a recipe i got off of the web which required karhi patha and mustard seeds and then the regular masalas like namak, mirch, haldi, etc.
but it was extremely tasteless
may be im not cooking it proper?? may be i need to let it cook more so the masalas can mix in properly?? 
Re: how come??
Chorni, I know what the problem is as I have been through it a few months back ...
you are probably not making the masala base properly and not putting the spices in at the right time ... spices only give away proper taste if added at the right time .. add them when the masala is almost nicely bhoonafied .. or else they will get burnt and lose their charm.
If you want to know step by step how to make the masala lemme know i can type it for ya ... I suggest that you try to restrict your usage of shan masala , its got way too many preservatives and definitely not good for every day use ... I used to make food with shan all the time and since my GP told me to get rid of this masala thing and use every thing fresh , I have felt a ton of difference in health ... and promised myself that I wont go crazy over shan masala's unless I have burnt my food !
Re: how come??
^ omg its that bad?? really???? :(
(
Re: how come??
whats all this hype over shan masala? we NEVER and i literally mean NEVER use that stuff in our house, believe me you all could survive and make amazing dishes without it, just stop being LAZY
Re: how come??
^so true...
Shan masalas have essence and artificial flavorings so food always smells great and tastes great. You can get the same with normal spices with just a little practice. I agree with what CB said, add the ingredients at the right time. Mostly in chicken dishes, you can add spices after sauteing the onions and tomatoes and bhuno a little before adding chicken. Keeping lid on is important too if you're cooking gravies to preserve the flavors. Fresh herbs also make dishes taste great, I garnish with fresh juliene cut ginger, cilantro and chopped green to many meat dishes and get so many compliments. I always get asked if I used shan masalas but to be very honest the dishes prepared with regular spices taste much better when you have learned the art of cooking and it's not hard at all! :)
Re: how come??
We have never used Shan Masalas or any other ones, are we missing out?
Re: how come??
yes please go ahead Chicken biryani.
I didn't even know there are certain ways of adding the masalas...
My cousin just recently got married and came over from Pakistan. Her mom is an excellent cook like she is famous in the family for her skills and my cousin has learnt from her. The first thing she complains about is how the masalas are so tasteless here....I had no clue whatsoever! She is been here a few months and she already knows what masalas are the better tasting ones. I yet have to dump all the masalas I have and switch!
yes please go ahead Chicken biryani.
Ok Jalpari, only for you... here is how I do my base masala:
finely chop or grind onions... heat 4-5 tablespoons of oil really well and then add the onions ... keep them on low-medium heat ... they should take about 15 minutes to properly get saute'd ... If it starts getting too dry just add a spoon of water and keep the pot covered ... keep stiring until oil separates ..
when the onions are done, add ginger garlic paste (one teaspoon of each ) and let it fry ... all on lower medium heat ... let it fry for a good 5 -8 minutes unitl the oil separates
if you notice by this time the salan will start smelling nice, the typical desi khana aroma will start coming up ..
I normally blend the tomatoes to a fine paste and add them to the masala... cover and let it simmer on low heat ... keep stirring it.... this should take another 10-15 minutes ...
when the oil seperates (this is extremely important ) ... add the salt, red pepper powder, haldi and your spices , stir them for no more then a minute and add your vegetables in ...
Good luck ...
TIP: If you add the spices before the tomatoes are properly bhunafied , your spices wont give out the aroma ... the same is the case with the onions , if you dont saute them properly or until the oil is released , the masala wont come out good enough.. hope this helps ..