Re: Shan masala and others
i use this brand called Parampara- they’re very good and not as intense as shaan masala, i find. BUT you do have to kind of adapt it to your recipe as opposed to following the one on the back of the packet. basically, its an indian brand and the way of cooking the dish, and the end result, will be different if you’re aiming for pakistani food. super easy to use though, it even comes with oil mixed in with the onions, spices, chilies etc so you dont need to add anything but the chicken/meat/rice etc.
http://www.paramparamix.com/home.html
thats my mom’s philosophy too- she never uses packets. all her food is always made from scratch and shes celebrated in our family for her cooking. patience smatience! thats her secret! doh.