There's little hope that anyone will share their prized family recipe for Bottle Masala, so, we have it here for you. Our 28-spice secret blend is authentic and homemade, just like it's done in the sun-soaked courtyards of Vasai. No dish of the East Indian community, is complete without the Bottle Masala. Use it to ace Chicken Khuddi Curry or simply to add a kick to the mundane potato bhaaji.
It was only in the late 19th century that the Marathi-speaking inhabitants of Greater Mumbai and North Konkan were recognised as East Indians. Determined to stand apart from the Goans and Mangaloreans, they embraced their mixed Marathi-Portuguese identity and gained from it. Their cuisine carries a whiff of this historical osmosis, as Hindu traditions met Continental taste. The Bottle Masala is the most essential and authentic of East Indian spice blends. A deep orange-red, it gets its name from the dark recycled beer bottles it was stored in to protect it from the sun.
Shaila Colaco is a banker by day and mistress of spices when she fancies. She rattles off the wholesale price of chilli like a broker would that of rising stock and has nurtured this passion project for years. Hailing from the northern suburbs of Mumbai and popular in the city's East Indian fraternity for her sun-dried, hand-pounded spice mixes that last up to a year if stored right, she makes them in quality-controlled batches with an affection that can only come from true love.
1.Boil the liver in water. Drain, dry and fry to light brown in a pan with some oil.
2.Do the same with pork pieces on medium flame.
3.In another pan, heat some oil. Add ginger, garlic, chilli and sauté.
4.Next, add the Bottle Masala and salt. Stir.
5.Now, add the fried pork meat and liver. Coat the meat well with the masala when stirring. Add a cup of water, bring to a boil, Then reduce flame, cover and cook on slow flame till the meat is soft.
5.Add the vinegar and cook for another 5 minutes.
6.Remove from fire and serve with Kolam rice or crusty bread.
1.Peel the pumpkin/gourd and cut into 2 inch cubes.
2.Wash the meat and cut into 2 inch cubes.
3.Boil meat in stock/water with salt, ginger, till tender. Strain and reserve stock. Set meat aside in bowl.
4.In a pan, heat ghee/oil. Saute garlic over moderate heat till fragrant.
5.Add the Bottle Masala and fry well. Sprinkle a little water if required to prevent burning.
6.Add the pumpkin, stock, mix well and simmertill the pumpkin is cooked.
7.Serve with Kolam rice or soft bread.
2.Sprinkle the Bottle Masala and fry for a few minutes, before adding the gourd and tomato. Mix well and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.
3.Toss in salt, pepper, stir and switch off the hear after a few minutes.
4.Serve with Bhakri.
The East Indian Bottle Masala is Aazol's premium masala. A deep orange-red spice mix, it is made using a secret 28-spice blend from an East Indian lady well-known in the community's circles as a spice expert. All of the constituent ingredients are also of the highest quality and sourced from the finest origins. It is for these reasons that the masala is priced at a premium.
Aazol's East Indian Bottle Masala gets its name from the recycled beer bottles which were used to store the masala in East Indian households.
Bottle Masala is so universal that it can enhance practically any dish. If you would like to make authentic East Indian dishes like Pork Sarpatel, Mutton Lonvas and Ivy Gourd, recipes for all are included in the adjacent tab.
Aazol sources its Bottle Masala from an East Indian lady who lives in the northern suburbs of Mumbai and is well-known in the East Indian community for her sun-dried and hand-pounded masalas made lovingly in small-batches.
Yes, Aazol's Bottle Masala is completely vegan!
Yes, Aazol's Bottle Masala is 100% gluten-free.
Aazol's Bottle Masala is made using natural spices, so you can be rest assured that it is free of any preservatives.
Aazol's Bottle Masala can easily last for 6 months, but owing to how tasty it is, we can guarantee you it won't stay on your shelf for that long!