MTR Kadhai Paneer Mixed Masala Review – Taste + Convenience

If there’s one thing packaged mixes guarantee, it is convenience. But what if the flavors are out of balance? 

MTR launched a line of Paneer Masalas with three variants- Kadhai Paneer, Mutter Paneer, and Palak Paneer. We ordered a 12-gram pack for our MTR Kadhai Paneer Mixed Masala review and here’s how it went.

Does Mishry recommend this masala mix?

Key details about MTR Kadhai Paneer Mixed Masala are mentioned here.

Here’s what we looked for when reviewing MTR Kadhai Paneer Mixed masala. Is this all convenience no taste? How is it made, and does it use similar ingredients that are typically used in kadhai masala? What about the consistency? We also gauged how economical this is.

1. Flavor

Spices like coriander powder, cumin and chilli are the flavors that define kadhai paneer. That, along with chunks of paneer, capsicum and onions. 

Did the prepared dish taste natural? Was the aroma fresh? Were the spices in sync or did one overpower the others? Was the typical Kadhai paneer-like flavor present? 

2. Overall Convenience

In addition to this masala, what ingredients does this call for from the pantry? Is the list long?

Is the 15-minute promise delivered?

3. Main Ingredients

Freshly ground spices and pureed vegetables are used in home kitchens for preparing gravies. What does MTR use? 

We also recorded our observations on the price, packaging, shelf life, and other non-tasting parameters. 

Price & Packaging

A 12-gram pack is priced at Rs 10/-. This holds four servings and is non-resealable. It has a shelf life of nine months. 

Cooking instructions and key tips are mentioned on the pack.

Main Ingredients

Mixed spices (coriander 20%, red chilli 13%, cumin 9%, kasuri methi powder, black pepper 3%, cassia, fennel, turmeric powder, bay leaves, clove, black cardamom, star anise, green cardamom), salt (305), flavor enhancer (INS 635).

Allergen advice mentions this may contain traces of peanut.

Three main spices that are always a part of  kadhai paneer/chicken are coriander, red chilli and cumin. All three of them have made their way into this spice mix and are the ingredients used in the highest amount.

How we made it

We sautéed a chopped onion and some green chillies in oil. To this, we added Suhana Ginger Garlic paste. This was followed by pureed tomatoes. We cooked this mix until the oil starting separating.

Then a small chopped capsicum and the MTR masala was added. Post this, we added 150 ml water, mixed the contents and added 200 grams of diced paneer. We let this cook until the gravy thickened and it was ready to serve. 

Aroma

This had an inviting nutty-woody aroma from red chillies. There was some pungency too and the combination of cumin and coriander lent some earthy tones.

Flavor & Consistency

The prepared gravy was semi-thick, it coated the paneer cubes and capsicum well. 

Did you know? Kadhai paneer gravy is characterised by a bold spiciness and has dominant flavors and aromas of freshly ground coriander, jeera, pepper, and red chillies.

Taste-wise, this masala was quite good. The spices had cooked well as their flavors were bold. Coriander and cumin had the most dominant presence followed by red chillies. We did not need to adjust the flavor by adding salt/chilli as this was just right. This masala also has a very mild sweet warmth of cinnamon. Although kasuri methi is mentioned on the pack, we could not taste it.

Since Kadhai masala is typically prepared with khada (whole) masala, the brand recommends adding coriander and cumin.

Here are some interesting FAQs on MTR Kadhai Paneer Mixed Masala.

Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy- MTR Kadhai Paneer Mixed Masala is not just convenient but delicious too. The characteristic flavors we look for in Kadhai Paneer were present and the consistency was commendable. 

Would you be open to trying a ready-to-use mix as tasty as this?