Best Bengali Kasundi Brand in India – Traditional Bengali Sauces Review

Have you ever met a Bengali who isn’t passionate about their food? We never have. Be it the macher jhol, cutlets, a hearty serving of mangsho, or the endless variety of Bengali mishti. Bengali cuisine has so much to offer.

A classic condiment that is extremely popular and loved is the Bengali kasundi (কাসুন্দি). It is also pronounced as kashundi. Made using mustard seeds along with a variety of spices, this is a very pungent sauce, best relished with veg chops, chicken cutlets and fried fish. 

We picked six popular brands of Bengali Kasundi for our review through online portals. Keeping two major factors in mind, flavor, and pungency, we chose the best-packaged kasundi in the market. Here are some of the best kasundi brands in India.

In this section we discuss the brands we reviewed, why they were chosen, the sizes available, price range, packaging and more.

1. Reviewed Brands

We picked six brands of kasundi. Brands that had a prominent presence and were easily available on various online portals were picked the first. Brands that were labeled as kasundi, Bengali kasundi, kashundi, or Bengali-style mustard were considered for this review. We did not pick brands that were labeled as a mustard sauce.

The brands we reviewed are – 

• DNV
• Druk
• Urban Platter
• Nutty Yogi
• Mon Bangla
• Annapurna

2. Available Sizes

Kasundi comes in different sizes ranging from 200 grams to 700 grams. 

3. Price Range

The brands we reviewed were priced between Rs 40/- to Rs 250/- for a 200 gram portion.

4. Packaging

Kasundi comes packed in two types of bottles or jars – plastic and glass.

5. Shelf Life

On an average the shelf life of commercially available kasundi is between 8-24 months. Do check the label before purchasing. 

We divided our tasting session into two broad stages – 

Stage 1 – The first stage included a blind tasting of the kasundis by themselves. They were tasted one by one and then in a comparative stage. This helped us gauge their flavor and consistency well.

Stage 2 – The second stage was our Mishry Secret Sauce. This is where we test the product for their intended use.

Kasundi is often served with vegetable chops, chicken cutlets, and fish fry. To test the kasundi in our review lab, we ordered a batch of vegetable chops from a Bengali homechef in Gurugram. The mild flavor of beetroot and potatoes inside the chop along with the crisp exterior pair wonderfully with the pungent kasundi. 

How is homemade kasundi different from the packaged variants? 

Homemade kasundi is devoid of any thickeners, artificial preservatives and acidity regulators. It can vary in consistency depending on the amount of water added, storage process and fermentation. The shelf life is also shorter in comparison. Natural souring agents, traditionally unripe mangoes, are used in homemade kasundi. In modern times, vinegar is used as well. Turmeric and salt are added to give color and increase the shelf life.

The fresh, sharp, piquant flavor is what remains the same.

To check how a homemade kasundi should be like, we asked experts Anindya Basu and Madhushree Roy from Pikturenama. Here is their version of a homemade kasundi.

Our review parameters included the following: 

1. Aroma

As per The Science of Spice: Understand Flavour Connections and Revolutionize your Cooking, a book by Dr. Stuart Farrimond, “Mustard’s heat is produced by sulfur-containing isothiocyanates, which, unlike other pungent compounds, vaporize at body temperature to have a nose-filling pungency. The complex flavor profile also includes pine-like pinene, ground-coffee-like furan methanethiol, malty, peachy 3-methylbutanal, and popcorn-like 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline. Nutty, roasted pyrazine flavors are produced by toasting the seeds.”

Kasundi is known for its pungency. The fermented mustard seeds have an almost sour, nose-tingling aroma that is unmissable and loved! 

2. Texture, Color, Consistency 

For our review, we wanted to check how thick or flowy is the kasundi? Is the kasundi grainy or is it pulsed too well? Can we see specs of mustard? How dark or light is the color of kasundi?

3. Flavour

To describe it in one word – Piquant! Mustard has a fiery hot flavor which is not for everyone, but those who love it can’t stop themselves from going back for it repeatedly. But how does mustard acquire such taste? 

Mustard seeds have an enzyme called myrosine, which gives mustard its signature pungency. But this enzyme isn’t activated until it is mixed with water or a water-based liquid. This is why mustard seeds are soaked in water before we turn them into a relish/sauce.

During our review, we were looking for the tastiest, most flavorful kasundi with a well-rounded heat and seasoning. A flavorful kasundi should have bitter undertones, but not overwhelmingly highlighted.

4. Pungency

All the kasundi brands we reviewed use mustard powder as the base ingredient. As per the book, The Science of Spice, “Yellow mustard powder is often made using a mix of white and brown seeds. Once moistened, the flavor develops within 10 minutes but the potency is lost after an hour or so unless vinegar is added.”

The sharp, pungent flavor and aroma of the kasundi collectively form the overall experience. We checked all the kasundi brands for their pungency levels. 

5. Price

All the brands we reviewed had varying prices. If the bottle of kasundi is priced higher than its competition, why? Does the price justify the quality of the product?

6. Packaging

How well are the kasundi packed? Do they come in a plastic or glass bottle?

Here is a comparison table of all the brands of kasundi we tried. The price, quantity, main ingredients and shelf life are compared. 

A 300-gram bottle of the MonBangla Kasundi is priced at Rs 200/-. This has a yellow color. The consistency is thick but flowy. The graininess of the mustard is very favorable. The overall consistency of this makes it very versatile to use, from a dip to a spread. The sour aroma hits the back of our noses.

The bitterness in this kasundi is balanced and palatable. At no point does the bitterness of the mustard seeds overpower the flavor of the condiment. The pungency and salt levels are just right as well.

When consumed with the veg chop, it enhanced the flavor of the snack very well. MonBangla Bengali Kasundi has the most balanced and well-rounded heat and pungency.

Features

• The Mon Bangla Kasundi comes in a plastic bottle.
• The shelf life is 12 months.
• A 300 gram bottle is priced at Rs 200/-.
• Ingredients – Mustard powder, Water, Edible starch, Salt, Spices, Acidity regulator (INS 260) and Preservatives (INS 211).

Pros

• The bitterness is very palatable.
• It has a thick but flowy consistency.
• The sharpness and pungency associated with a well-made kasundi is intact.
• We liked that all the flavors in the kasundi tie up so well with each other.

Best Suited For

Looking for a sharp, piquant kasundi as a condiment? MonBangla Kasundi is our Top Pick with the most balanced flavor.

The Urban Platter Bengal Mustard Kasundi comes in a glass bottle. The top is sealed with a cap and on that is a small piece of jute cloth which adds to the visual appeal of the packaging. At almost 125 Rupees per 100 grams, this comes in the premium section.

The kasundi has the thickest consistency amongst all the contenders. The graininess is also the most in this one. This Kasundi is very tasty and recommended for people who need a spicier version with a slightly reduced pungency. We are not saying that this isn’t pungent or doesn’t tingle the nose when we smell it. We are saying that the heat, pungency, and sharpness are well-rounded in this one.

Features

• The Urban Platter Bengal Mustard Kasundi comes in a glass bottle.
• The shelf life is 24 months.
• A 200 gram bottle is priced at Rs 250/-.
• Ingredients – Mustard Powder, Water, Salt, Ginger, Corn Starch, Spices and Acidity regulator (260)

Pros

• The packaging is the best amongst all the brands.
• This is the thickest kasundi.
• The graininess adds a wonderful texture to the condiment.
• We liked the well rounded, well spiced kasundi.
• There is no overpowering bitterness. 

Best Suited For

Want a kasundi that pairs well with fried snacks, desi and western? This is the perfect kasundi brand for that.

DNV’s Kasundi comes in a plastic bottle. A 700 ml bottle is priced at Rs 95/-. It has a thin and flowy consistency. The graininess is medium-low.

We also liked the DNV Kasundi during our review process. This was delicious, undoubtedly, but the bitterness took a front seat which overpowered all the other flavors.

Features

• The DNV Bengali Kasundi comes in a plastic bottle.
• The shelf life is 12 months.
• A 700 gram bottle is priced at Rs 95/-.
• Ingredients – Mustard Powder, Yellow mustard seeds (4%), Turmeric powder (1%), Purified water, Acidity regulator (260) and Iodized salt.
• No artificial color or flavour added.
• Contains permitted class II preservatives.

Pros

• The pungency and seasoning is spot on for the DNV Kasundi.

Cons

• The consistency is too thin. We were unable to dip and coat the cutlets properly.
• This has a prominent bitterness which lowers the overall experience. 

Best Suited For

This is best suited for people who like a prominent bittery, mustardy flavor.

Druk’s Mustard Kasundi is priced at Rs 48/- for a 200 gram bottle. This is a flowy kasundi and is slightly grainy. This tartness, pungency and piquant flavor of mustard which you expect out of any kasundi is low and weak. The salt levels are on the higher side.

Features

• The Druk Kasundi comes in a plastic bottle.
• The shelf life is 12 months.
• A 200 gram bottle is priced at Rs 48/-.
• Ingredients – Mustard Powder, Water, Edible starch, Salt, Spices, Acidity regulator (INS 260) and Preservatives (INS 211).

Cons

• The Druk Mustard is very high on salt.
• It is low on the pungency and flavor associated with kasundi.

Annapurna Kasundi comes in a plastic bottle. It is priced at Rs 40/- for 200 grams. It’s flowy but not liquidy or thin. This is very pungent, without being bitter. The flavors are very concentrated, and the salt levels are very high. The sourness is overpowering.

Features

• The Annapurna Kasundi comes in a plastic bottle.
• The shelf life is 12 months.
• A 200 gram bottle is priced at Rs 40/-.
• Ingredients – Water, Mustard powder, Salt, Mixed spices, Acidulants (260,330), Stabilizing agents (415, 1422), Preservatives (211)
• Contains permitted class II preservatives.

Pros

• The consistency is flowy.
• This is pungent but not bitter.

Cons

• The salt levels are very high. 
• The sourness is overpowering in this kasundi.

The Nutty Yogi Kasundi comes in a glass jar and is priced at Rs 169/- for 250 grams. The kasundi has a flowy consistency. The punch of flavor you need from a kasundi was missing. While this was tasty, and had balanced seasoning, the pungency and piquant flavor were lacking.

Features

• The Nutty Yogi Kasundi comes in a glass bottle.
• The shelf life is 8 months.
• A 250 gram bottle is priced at Rs 169/-.
• Ingredients – Mustard Powder (70%), water, salt, ginger, corn starch, spices and acidity regulator (INS 260).
• Contains permitted class II preservatives (E211).

Pros

• The kasundi is well seasoned.

Cons

• This lacks the pungency and tartness.

Why did we choose Mon Bangla Kasundi as our Top Pick?

A good kasundi or kashundi is associated with the typical piquant flavor, pungency and a mild bitterness from the mustard seeds. It should be well-seasoned and have appropriate salt levels. 

We chose the kasundi by MonBangla as our Top Pick because it excelled in all the areas. It was the most balanced and well-rounded kasundi without losing out on the characteristic pungency.

Why do we Also Recommend Urban Platter Kasundi? 

During our blind tasting stage, Urban Platter’s Bengal Mustard Kasundi repeatedly emerged as a favorite amongst reviewers who prefer lower-pungency levels in mustard. Which is why we recommend the Urban Platter Kasundi. 

Here are some interesting FAQs on Kasundi brands in India.

1. Are these Bengali kasundi brands free from gluten?

Yes. All the six brands we reviewed are gluten-free. 

2. Do any of these kasundi contain Garlic and Onion?

No. None of the above mentioned brands of kasundi contain onion and garlic. 

3. Does it need to be refrigerated once it is opened?

All brands of kasundi have different storage instructions. Please read the label carefully. Do note that refrigeration sometimes may reduce the pungency of the kasundi.

4. Are these products vegan?

Yes. Kasundis are vegan by nature. None of the brands we reviewed contain any dairy or display any allergen information about dairy.

5. Do these Bengali kasundi brands contain acidity regulators?

Yes. All of the packaged kasundi brands contain acidity regulators.

Pungent, nose tingling and downright delicious! Bengali Kasundis are one of the most popular mustard-based relishes in India. 

We gauged six popular packaged brands of Kasundi and chose MonBangla Kasundi as our Top Pick. We Also Recommend the one by Urban Platter.

Which is your favorite snack to pair up with a kasundi? 

*If you do agree with our review, please give it a thumbs up! And, tell us which one is your favorite from this list. If you don’t, please tell us why!

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* Our reviews are unbiased and all samples used during the reviews were paid for by us. Read our entire ethics statement here.

* No part of this review is sponsored by any brand. All expenses were borne by us.