RawSpiceBar is a monthly subscription that sends freshly ground, small batch spice blends and recipes that utilize them.
My Subscription Addiction pays for this subscription. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
The Subscription Box: RawSpiceBar
The Cost: $6 per month
COUPON: Use coupon code SPICEFLAVOR to save 50% off your first box!
The Products: 3 freshly ground spice blends from one country or region, enough to create 3 dishes serving 6-10 people.
Ships to: US (with free shipping) and Canada (for an additional fee).
Check out all of our RawSpiceBar reviews and visit the Food Subscription Box Directory for more food boxes!
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A note about shipping: I’ve been reviewing RawSpiceBar for over a year now, and it’s always been one of the last subscriptions I receive every month. My boxes for March and April arrived even later than usual. (I didn’t receive April’s spices until about a week and a half into May.) I’m not sure if all subscribers have been experiencing similar delays, but I thought it was important to mention.
Each month, RawSpiceBar sends spices from one region or geographical area. This shipment spotlights Parsi spices.
This month’s featured spices are: Kala Namak, Cumin & Chile, Parsi Garam Masala, and Rose & Cardamom Blend.
Kala Namak, Cumin & Chile- 0.3 oz.
This spice blend is a mix of kala namak (black salt), cumin, and red chiles.
Kala namak is “used extensively in Indian cuisine and has a very distinctive sulfurous taste with tangy, fresh flavor notes.”
Parsi Garam Masala- 0.3 oz.
RawSpiceBar’s Parsi Garam Masala is a combination of green cardamom, coriander, bay leaves, black cardamom, black cumin, nutmeg, cinnamon, black peppercorns, star anise, fennel, and fenugreek.
Rose & Cardamom Blend- 0.2 oz.
This final spice blend is made up of rose petals, green cardamom, and ginger.
Parsi Recipes
This month, RawSpiceBar included the following recipes: Jardaloo Ma Murghi (Parsi Chicken Curry), Kachumber Salad, and Rose & Cardamom Kulfi.
I’ve vowed to cut back on sweets this month, so I decided to make the salad and curry but to skip dessert.
I began by making the Jardaloo Ma Murghi. (Note: I cut down the recipe by half, since only my husband and I would be eating it for dinner.)
First, I sautéed onions in olive oil until they turned golden. I then added the Parsi Garam Masala followed by chopped garlic and grated ginger.
After stirring for a few minutes, I added the chicken thighs and allowed them to brown on all sides.
Next, I stirred in canned whole plum tomatoes, breaking them down as I added them. The next step called for adding soaked apricots.
The recipe neglected to provide instructions for soaking the apricots. (It just said “add the soaked apricots.”) This was definitely a flaw in the recipe, and I was a little annoyed that I didn’t notice it until after I’d started cooking. Since I didn’t have time to let the apricots soak on the counter, I placed them in a bowl with the water and heated them in the microwave until they were warm and puffy. I chopped them and added them into the stew, stirred everything together, turned the heat down to medium-low, and covered the pan with a lid.
While the curry cooked, I made the kachumber salad by mixing together chopped cucumbers, tomato, onion, mint leaves, cilantro (I’m assuming this recipe was adapted from a British one, since it called for coriander instead of cilantro…), lemon juice, salt and pepper, and RawSpiceBar’s Kala Namak, Cumin & Chile spices.
RawSpiceBar suggested serving the curry with either rice or bread, so I made some basmati rice. Since I had some leftover garam masala (because I only made a 1/2 recipe), I tossed in a pinch with the rice.
When the curry was ready, I plated it with the rice and topped it with fresh cilantro. The recipe recommended adding cilantro only for “those who tolerate it,” which made me chuckle a little. I love cilantro, but my mom and brother think it tastes like dish soap. If anyone else is in the same boat, I think parsley would have been a nice addition to this dish, too.
The curry was delicious! My husband and I both enjoyed it, and we had enough for leftovers. The kachumber salad was good too. For me, the spice blend was a little cumin heavy to be used on salad (I guess I favor cumin as a lead spice for meats and stews more than cold veggies), but that’s just a matter of personal taste. The kachumber salad was still a refreshing accompaniment to the curry.
Verdict: I really enjoyed this month’s RawSpiceBar spices and recipes. The Jardaloo Ma Murghi was delicious, and I think it paired pretty well with the kachumber salad. I’m disappointed that this month’s curry recipe was flawed (it happens far too regularly with RawSpiceBar recipes), but I’m pleased that it wasn’t too much of a problem. I’m also a little concerned that my last couple of spice shipments have been arriving later than usual. Despite these problems, though, I’m still a RawSpiceBar fan. Their spices are always fresh and high quality, and I love that every month introduces me to a new cuisine!
What do you think about RawSpiceBar's Parsi Spice Box?
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