Ok, so whenever I cook with Shan masala I get praises from everyone and the hubby but when I use regular masala (haldi, zeera, coriander seeds, red chilli, garam masala) my food tastes kinda bland. For example, nihari, haleem, kofte, karahi, biryani, etc. Hubby eats it but he says “it lacks something”. He misses the “chatpata” taste. Is there a way to make food cooked with regular masala taste as chatpata as Shan? I’m trying to avoid Shan these days coz of the MSG, and of course the heartburn 
Re: Shan Masala Vs Regular Masala?
I make Haleem biryani without masala n they always turn out good…mashallah
They r off course not tht chat pata like the packet ones.. But good
i thunk … Ginger garlic, red chilli n Garam masala shoul be in good quantity to give it good taste…
or sometimes wt I do is… I prepare biryani with homemade masala n in the end I add 1 tbsp of packet masala . N it gives it that kick..
Hope it helps 
Yeah, I’ve tried to add a lil bit of Shan to add the kick but now I’m trying to avoid the packet masalas altogether. My food turns out good without Shan too but not enough chatpata as compared to with Shan, which is what hubby misses. Is there any “extra” ingredient I can add other than the usuals to make it more chatpata?
Re: Shan Masala Vs Regular Masala?
well did you use authentic recipes to make biryani, haleem, nihari…you need other spices besides the basic 5. It also depends on how much onions, tomatoes, chillies, yogurt, etc you use.
Yeah I use authentic recipes from mom, fb, chefs on desi channels and stuff. I do add extra spices to Biryani, Nihari, etc that they require. I mean I like the taste but it’s not that great when I make the same dish using Shan masala, ya know? My husband prefers Shan taste coz its chatpata but I don’t want to use any Shan or National or whatever anymore 
Re: Shan Masala Vs Regular Masala?
what’s chatpata mean?
Also, can’t you look at the ingredients list of the shan masala and see what they’ve put in there? Usually they tell you one-by-one all the things, and if there’s anything extra they’ve got there which you usually don’t use, like imlee or something, add that to your normal masala and maybe it’ll make the difference?
Also - packet masala’s have msg’s?! What?!!!
^ I guess chatpata means tangy? Honestly, I don’t know the literal meaning And, I’ve tried looking at Shan’s ingredients and sometimes there are things in there that are not available at your regular desi store and the main thing is it’s hard to figure out what quantity to use coz Shan doesn’t list that in their ingredients
Oh and yeah, I’m pretty sure packet masala have MSG, I thought it was commonly known, no? But it definitely gives me a lot of heartburn!
Re: Shan Masala Vs Regular Masala?
make your husband read the hazards of MSG, show him proofs Shan masala has it in the packet, and tell him to stop comparing tastes and prioritize health over chatpata-ness
Proto: husband already knows the hazards with MSG. He doesn’t necessarily want Shan, he just wants that taste
Re: Shan Masala Vs Regular Masala?
sometimes our masalay get stale from being around for so long.
try cleaning out your spice closet and getting rid of powders that don’t smell potent and fresh.
also…grind your own powders just before you use them…cayenne, cumin, coriander etc all can be freshly roasted and ground when you make your food.
another way to add that “chatpata pan” that he’s looking for is to garnish with fresh ingredients like thinly sliced ginger, lime, green chilli, coriander and mint.
Muzna: thanks for your suggestions. I dry roast and grind my spices every two weeks. I also garnish with the things you mentioned, but still no chatpata-pan
Re: Shan Masala Vs Regular Masala?
in that case you might consider increasing the ratio of spices to meat…
Re: Shan Masala Vs Regular Masala?
Also, if you have not seasoned with enough salt, food will taste “bland” no matter how much masala you have used.
I’ve tried increasing/tweaking the ratio many times but then it tastes bitter
Khatti: the salt is perfect, its just that it lacks the aroma and chatpata pan that one would get with Shan.
I’m sure people who’ve cooked something with Shan and their own masala can tell the difference, no?
Re: Shan Masala Vs Regular Masala?
this is quiet the mystery…I’ve not had this happen.
have you considered “khattaas”? usually when someone in our family says that it is not ‘chat pata’ we are referring to some sort of khattaas in the food.
try sprinkling a small amount of kala namak or chaat masala as garnish on the finished dish just before serving…
Re: Shan Masala Vs Regular Masala?
And for the record, can you please share what your typical salan masala recipe contains?
list the amounts so that we can see the ratio of chilli to turmeric to coriander etc…
Re: Shan Masala Vs Regular Masala?
Our Shan masala packets in the US don’t list MSG as an ingredient but I have a sensitivity to it and often get the same reaction (heart racing, dizziness, nausea) to foods made with Shan masala as I do when I eat out at Chinese restaurants where I have confirmed that MSG was indeed in the food. Is it listed under another name or hidden under natural flavoring?
Re: Shan Masala Vs Regular Masala?
I’m sorry,but MSG stands for?!
Monosodium glutamate. It’s a chemical flavor enhancer..it’s the reason why potato chips, 2-minute noodles and Chinese food taste so good/are so addicting sometimes.