Words by Fabian Loo
The next generation is breathing new life into the forgotten art of spice-mixing, peppering the traditional trade with renewed ideas and fresh perspectives.
*This is an extract of an article that first appeared in Wine & Dine’s 2021 ‘Spice & Aromatics’ issue
Sharing the same love for spice is Namita Mehra, who took to the web right off the bat. The former Facebook creative strategist was tasked to start her own business page as part of the job. The result was a platform for people to share their delicious, spice-scented recipes that turned out to be the precursor to the e-commerce site she operates today. Named Indian Spicebox, the website sells spices in the form of nifty, convenient kits.
“I quickly realised how people were so overwhelmed by Indian cooking—often with poorly written, or complicated recipes and spices they are unfamiliar with,” she points out. The spices that she sells come stored in dainty wooden containers, which are an elegant take on the classic masala dabba or stainless steel holders.
Central to the mission at Indian Spicebox is also to encourage more to return to traditional Indian recipes by correcting any misconceptions that people have about the cuisine. Namita shares that most are of the impression that Indian cuisine is complicated and spicy, but it does not have to be. “Heat is just one kind of spice element. Spices can bring so much more to the table—aroma, depth, flavour, and wellness benefits,” shares the founder.
*Read the full article in Wine & Dine’s 2021 ‘Spice & Aromatics’ issue. Available at newsstands and Magzter
