ITC All-Purpose Gravies Review – We Tried Three Variants!
Team Mishry
Ready-to-use gravies that are free of preservatives? Yes, these are now available in three flavors. We reviewed all of them and here’s all that you need to know.
Our reviews are research-based, and all trials and testings are conducted in-house over days and weeks. We have a strict no-free-sample policy to ensure our reviews are fair and impartial.
Mishry Rating
GOOD!
Summary
The good part about these all-purpose gravies is that have no added preservatives. However, cashew onion and tomato makhni both failed to leave a mark on our palates. The korma variant performed slightly better as indicated by the ratings.
In 2001, ITC entered the ready-to-eat segment of the food industry with Kitchens of India. From instant noodles to frozen snacks, ITC has recently come up with #Readyin123.
This category of products contains pre-seasoned and cooked gravies where all you need to do is add ingredients of your choice and have the side-dish ready within minutes. And needless to say, all your hours standing in the kitchen- peeling, cutting, chopping, seasoning, stirring are eliminated.
We ordered three variants – cashew onion, tomato makhani and korma gravy. Team Mishry discussed several features, including taste, texture, convenience, during the ITC Master Chef All-Purpose Gravies review.
Table of Contents
ITC Master Chef All-Purpose Gravies – Quick Glance
All that you need to know about the ITC all-purpose gravies we tried and tested.
| Variant | Mishry Rating | Buy Now |
| Korma Masala | 3.5 | Add to cart |
| Tomato Makhani | 3 | Add to cart |
| Cashew Onion | 2.5 | Add to cart |
Our Review Factors
What are we looking for? We were looking for some quick and convenient all-purpose gravies that cut down on cooking and prep time. They should also taste good and offer apt texture.
1. Taste
Korma, tomato-makhani and cashew-onion – all these gravies have a distinct flavor. We were looking for those characteristic flavors in each –
- Tomato makhani – Fresh tomato tang along with buttery undertones
- Cashew onion – Nutty with a fried onion flavor.
- Korma masala – Rich nutty flavor with whole spices.
2. Texture
Unlike homestyle gravies these should be smooth and luscious with no graininess. How did all three gravies perform during our review?
Is the consistency as per the desired level?
3. Cooking Experience
Were they genuinely quick and easy to make? Do they require too many extra ingredients? Does the prep time reduce?
4. Aroma
A pleasing, inviting aroma is what we were looking for. Are the hero ingredients highlighted when we smell these gravies? Do they make for an inviting dish?
5. Appearance
We eat with our eyes first, so how do these look? Colors, oily residue and much more is covered under appearance.
6. Others
Price
Keeping a homemade dish and its quantity in mind, do these gravies prove to be value for money? How many people does a single pack serve?
Ingredients
Colors, additives, preservatives. What all ingredients do these all-purpose gravies have?
Shelf life and packaging were also supportive parameters.
ITC Master Chef All-Purpose Gravies – Detailed Review
The Mishry test kitchen was filled with a restaurant-like aroma during the preparation of both these gravies. The ITC all-purpose gravies are quick-cooking and definitely a value-for-money option.
However, do the flavors do justice to the names? Do the ITC all-purpose gravies taste authentic? Is this something we would recommend our readers to try out? Check the table for a detailed analysis of the two variants we tried.
1. ITC Master Chef Korma Masala
Price, Packaging & Shelf life
A 200 gm pack is priced at Rs 100/- and makes a serving enough for 1-2 people as a side dish. If serving this to two people, you will definitely need another dish alongside rotis/rice.
The shelf life of the product is 12 months.
Ingredients
The main ingredients include onions (40.8%), water, watermelon seeds, refined palmolein, and spices and condiments amongst other things. We liked that this has no preservatives or added colors.
Appearance
This looks just like a regular korma masala with a yellow-brown color. Pre and post-cooking, the color remained the same. The gravy looks semi-coarse.
How We Made It
As per the instructions given on the pack –
- We added 1 measure korma masala to 3/4th measure of water (milk optional).
- Simmer for 2 minutes and your gravy is ready to use.
- At this point you can add vegetables, paneer, chicken or dal of your choice. Adjust salt if needed. We used paneer.
- You can use this masala to make mutter mushroom, bhindi masala and methi murgh.
Aroma
When we were cooking this masala, the aroma was not inviting at all, like it should have been. It smelled primarily of raw onions, ginger and garlic paste with a sharp pungency.
Taste and texture
When we think of korma, we think of rich flavors of whole spices. Typically, in a korma, the onions are boiled or deep fried and then turned into a paste with a lot of nuts/seeds like almonds, cashews, khus khus and more. These too, are deep fried or soaked and then turned into a paste. The gravy is usually fine and isn’t chunky.
Was this able to replicate these flavors and texture?
Taste wise, we felt that this is very average. The taste of raw onions, ginger and garlic doesn’t mellow down even after appropriate cooking. This inhibits the flavor of the spices to shine in the dish.
We used this to make a paneer dish and felt the need to adjust salt.
Although the consistency and color of the korma masala is fine, the texture is somewhat grainy. It is very close to what a grated onion masala would feel like.
- Quick and convenient.
- Consistency is apt.
- Typical korma-like color.
- The texture is not as smooth as it should have been. It has a grainy, grated onion-like mouthfeel.
- Not value for money considering the portion size is meant for 1-2 people only.
ITC Master Chef Korma Masala All-Purpose Gravy 200g, Ready to Cook Indian Base Masala Curry Paste, E
(as of April 15, 2024 14:05 GMT +05:30 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)2. ITC Master Chef Tomato Makhani All-Purpose Gravy
The ITC Master Chef All-Purpose gravy in the Tomato Makhani flavor in a word sweet. As you take the first bite, there is a mild sweetness that tastes pretty decent.
Towards the end, you feel a garam masala kick.
If this product is marketed without the tomato makhani tag, it is a good product. However, since it does have the tomato tag, the absence of the tangy flavor you want from a tomato-based dish makes this an average product.
If you don’t mind the absence of a tangy flavor or you are comfortable with adding that yourself, this ITC all-purpose gravy might be something you would like.
Additionally, individuals that prefer their gravies or side dishes a little on the sweeter side with a balance of some heat coming from masala are sure to enjoy this.
One recommendation from the team- relish this with roti/paratha instead of rice.
- This is a sweet tasting gravy that pairs well with chapatis/parathas.
- Similar to a bhuna masala gravy, the tomato makhani from the ITC all-purpose gravy range has a restaurant-like aroma.
- This pre-seasoned gravy has a thick consistency that feels rich.
- The tanginess that tomatoes add to a dish was missing.
ITC Master Chef Tomato Makhani All-Purpose Gravy 200g, Ready to Cook Indian Base Masala Curry Paste,
(as of April 15, 2024 14:05 GMT +05:30 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)3. ITC Master Chef Cashew Onion All-Purpose Gravy
The ITC Master Chef All-Purpose gravy in the cashew onion flavor has a finely ground consistency. Though the list of ingredients used gave us high hopes, the final result disappointed a bit.
Strong on the ginger-garlic flavor, this ready-to-use gravy seems to be made using boiled onions. Since the cooking methods have a huge impact on the overall taste of the dish, the way the onions were cooked before adding them to the dish brought the overall taste and experience down.
The visual appeal of any food item is significant in all Mishry Reviews. Whether it’s a frozen food product or a ready-to-eat pack, the way it looks adds to the overall value. The cashew onion gravy had a dull beige color that we found was not too appealing.
After our taste test, we strongly felt something was missing or something wrong with this recipe. This gravy has a long way to go before it becomes a frequently used product in our pantry.
- The cashew onion ITC all-purpose gravy cooks in under five minutes.
- You can customize the entire dish and its flavors by switching up the ingredients and adding additional spices.
- A restaurant-style side dish can be prepared with a minimal number of ingredients.
- This ITC all-purpose gravy has a boiled onion taste that we didn’t like too much.
ITC Master Chef Cashew Onion All-Purpose Gravy 200g, Ready to Cook Indian Base Masala Curry Paste, E
(as of April 15, 2024 14:06 GMT +05:30 - More infoProduct prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some interesting FAQs on ITC Master Chef all-purpose gravies.
The ITC All-purpose gravies are available online on various portals as well as offline in super markets.
You are recommended to store the packs in a dry and hygienic place. Once opened, you can store it in your refrigerator. However, make sure to consume it within two days of opening.
Yes, all ITC all-purpose gravy variants are made using vegetarian ingredients. Although, you can make non-vegetarian side dishes using the same gravy.
You can prepare a side dish in three steps. Add the gravy to a pan, add milk/water proportionately. Add veggies/protein source or any other ingredients you prefer.
None. All ITC All-Purpose gravies are free of preservatives.
Final Words
A sweet-tasting gravy that does not deliver on the tangy promise, one that tastes like store-bought ginger-garlic paste and another which misses out on korma essentials.
Unlike a lot of other ITC Master Chef ready-to-cook pastes we have tried earlier, these failed to impress us. These either lack the correct flavor, texture or freshness.
Have you tried these ready to cook gravies yet?
Team That Worked On The Review
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