Mishry Rating
GOOD!
Summary
The Smith And Jones Shahi Paneer Masala helps make a bowl of shahi paneer that borders on being restaurant style. The rich, creamy gravy is surely a big plus. The mutter paneer masala on the other hand did not impress us as much.
Readymade curry powder is a boon for those who are not intuitive cooks. ‘Andaaz anusaar’ is something our mothers might be good at, but sometimes we can go massively wrong with which masalas pair well and how much quantity needs to be used. This is where readymade curry powder and other powdered spices come to our aid. We tried and tested two variations of the Smith And Jones Paneer Masala – Shahi paneer masala and Mutter paneer masala to test them for their flavor, and ease of use. Are these paneer masalas flavorful? If yes, do they make cooking convenient? Let’s dig into the details.
Table of Contents
Smith And Jones Paneer Masala – Variants We Tried
*As per information on the pack
- Best before 10 months from date of manufacture.
- Each pack contains 5 sachets.
- Each sachet weighs 20 grams.
The Smith And Jones Paneer Masala comes in a yellow pouch packaging. The shahi paneer masala (red band) and mutter paneer masala (purple band) are both priced the same. A pack of 5 pouches is priced at Rs 50/-. Each sachet weighing 20 grams is priced at Rs 10/- and serves 2.
Quick Review
A single sachet of the Smith And Jones Paneer Masala can make a dish that is enough for 2 people.
MRP – Rs 50/-*
Number of sachets – 5
Net weight of each sachet – 20 grams
*Price at the time of review
Quick Review Of The Smith And Jones Paneer Masala
Before we begin our review, let us tell you a little about this product. This is not a ready-to-eat meal. This is a masala mix or sachet of ‘curry masala powder’ that imparts a distinct, bold flavor to the dish. The Smith And Jones Paneer Masala, in simpler words, is like a tastemaker that is used to make the base of the gravy.
Quick Review Of Smith And Jones Shahi Paneer Masala
Ingredients – Skimmed milk powder, Sugar, Onion powder, Salt, Mixed spices (11% – Coriander, Ginger, Chilli, Turmeric, Nutmeg, Cumin, Cinnamon, Star anise, Bay leaves, Fennel, Clove, Cardamom, Schezwan pepper, Black pepper), Cornflour, Dried glucose syrup, Garlic powder, Anticaking agent, Sunflower oil, Dehydrated fenugreek leaves.
The Smith And Jones Shahi Paneer Masala provides 34.5 Kcal of energy per serving size (10 grams).
How to use the Smith And Jones Shahi Paneer Masala – The method mentioned on the back of the pack is easy to follow.
- Add the entire pack of Smith And Jones Shahi Paneer Masala Mix to 1/4th cup milk (50 ml), mix well and keep aside.
- Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a pan and stir fry 2 Tbsp of onion paste, 3 Tbsp of tomato puree, 1 Tbsp of ginger-garlic paste, and saute for 2-3 minutes or till oil separates.
- Add the mixture of masala and milk. Now add 100 ml (½ cup) water, 100 grams of paneer cubes, and bring it to a boil. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.
Making the Shahi paneer using the Smith And Jones Paneer Masala was easy and the instructions were not complicated. The masala is a dull, pale orange in color and is not coarse. It dissolves easily in milk. We made the paneer using Mother Dairy paneer (Top Pick in our creamiest, tastiest paneer review).
Taste Test – The first thing we noticed once the cooking procedure was over that it looked very similar to a restaurant-style shahi paneer gravy. On our first bite, we got a rich, creamy gravy that has a slightly bitter aftertaste coming from the star anise. The gravy is not too spicy and the salt levels are quite balanced as well.
The flavors of the masalas blend very nicely with each other. If you are someone who likes spicy gravies, we recommend you add green chili to the mix while cooking. We liked how we did not have to add any masala or seasoning to enhance the taste. Just a quick saute and this was ready under 5-7 minutes. The quantity is enough for 1-2 people.
Quick Review Of Smith And Jones Mutter Paneer Masala
Ingredients – Mixed spices (24% – Coriander, Cumin, Chilli, Ginger, Turmeric, Bay leaves, Fennel, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Clove, Star anise, Schezwan pepper, Black pepper), Dried glucose syrup, Onion powder, Salt, Sugar, Garlic powder, Skimmed milk powder, Anticaking agent, Sunflower oil.
The Smith And Jones Mutter Paneer Masala provides 36 Kcal of energy per serving size (10 grams).
How to use the Smith And Jones Mutter Paneer Masala – The method given on the back of the pack is easy to follow. The masala dissolves in water with ease.
- Add the entire pack of Smith And Jones Mutter Paneer Masala Mix to 1/4th cup water (50 ml), mix well and keep aside.
- Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a pan and stir fry 1 small chopped onion (20 gm) till golden brown. Add 1 medium-sized chopped tomato (50 grams), 1 Tbsp of ginger-garlic paste and saute for 2-3 minutes or till oil separates.
- Add the mixture of masala and water. Now add 100 ml (½ cup) water, 100 grams of paneer cubes, and ½ cup (50 grams) green peas and bring it to a boil. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.
Taste Test – The promise of home-style matar paneer is definitely fulfilled with the Smith And Jones Paneer Masala. The bitterness in shahi paneer was not present here, but the overpowering flavor of khada masalas did hamper the taste of this dish. Just like the previous masala, we did not add any extra seasoning on top. The gravy is a bit on the spicier side, but when had with rotis or rice, can balance out a little.
Our main problem with this masala is that mattar paneer is an everyday-dish. Something that we cook on a boring weekday, probably. So why would you buy a masala for something that is already being made at home and definitely with a tastier seasoning? Not that this was bad, but a simple dish like this doesn’t require too much frill.
Conclusion
This can be a good option for people who struggle with cooking or don’t want to order in restaurant-style paneer but are looking for cost-effective ways to cook fool-proof dishes at home. We recommend the Smith And Jones Shahi Paneer Masala for the fact that it is easy to make and doesn’t require any addition of masalas or heavy cream at all. The Mutter Paneer Masala on the other hand isn’t that splendid. We can definitely make a better, tastier bowl of mutter paneer at home. Have you tried either of the Smith And Jones Paneer Masala yet? Did you like them?
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* No part of this review is sponsored by any brand. All expenses were borne by us.
