Shan

Shan is a Pakistani food company from Karachi, best known for recipe masala mixes: a box of ground spices blended for a single named dish, with the method printed on the back. It has also grown into pickles, chutneys, pastes, dessert mixes and noodles, and is one of the most familiar spice brands in British South Asian kitchens.

The heart of the Shan range we carry is biryani and pulao masala, karahi and korma masala, meat masala, kebab masala, haleem and nihari masala and chaat masala. Beside them are ginger garlic paste, chutneys, mango, lime and mixed pickles, a complete haleem mix, and on the sweet side custard powder, jelly and kheer mix for sheer khurma.

Biryani mixes are the boxes most families keep in the cupboard, and the karahi mix is what goes into a weeknight chicken karahi. Nihari and haleem mixes are made for slow cooking at weekends and during Ramadan, while the kebab mixes cover seekh, chapli and shami. Shan blends are well seasoned and include salt, so follow the box for quantity and taste before adding more. For a milder result, use part of the packet and keep the rest sealed for next time.

Opened boxes lose their aroma quickly, so fold the inner bag shut or tip the mix into a small jar. To compare Shan with other recipe mixes, browse our full masalas collection, or the Laziza and MDH ranges.