Indian grocery shops are interesting to walk into as they are a piece of another country, and reflect its culture, its food habits, and people’s everyday grocery products and how they interact with one another. To shop at an
Indian grocery store is an experience in itself as you will no doubt find a host of foreign brands, but also many international brands that manufacture exclusively for the Indian markets, as per the Indian tastes. You will find Nestle, but more importantly, Nestle’s instant noodles that are famous across India, Maggi Masala. You will find products by Dettol, but it will be the bathing soap that everyone in the country knows commonly.
Exquisitely Indian
India has a rich medical tradition of its own, these are mostly home remedies using naturally occurring substances that work wonders. You can try the coconut hair oil by Dabur Vatika or Parachute, or almond oil, which is good for the skin and hair. You can buy Mysore Sandalwood soap that is made by pure sandalwood oil and also shop for herbs like
tulsi powder,
amla juice, and giloy powder that have various medicinal attributes. There are many Indian brand alternatives for the grocery one buys for themselves such as Amul ice cream,
dals, and pulses, fryums, Indian tea, and coffee. These are grocery products that work well irrespective of which background you come from. You can ditch your Lays chips for a day to pick up some delicious snacks from Haldiram’s or Ramdev that aren’t all necessarily spicy but also come in flavors that are tangy or sweet.
Try the exquisite Indian sweets
When we say Indian sweets, the first thing that comes to mind is
gulab jamun and these can be purchased readymade, packaged by well-known Indian brands, and with quality and taste assured. One can also try some other delicacies like the Kaju
barfi, rasgulla, chamchams, anjeer rolls, and
shakharpara. If you are a DIY kind of person, you can pick ready mixes with detailed instructions to make the sweets freshly at home too. You can choose from Gits or MTR, both famous Indian brands that generations of Indians have loved in India and abroad.
The pickles, chutneys, and sauces
Indian grocery is incomplete without its pickles, chutneys, and sauces. Buy the premium mango, lime, tomato, and mixed veg pickles among others from favorite brands like MTR, Priya, Mother’s Recipe, and Pravin. You can buy the yummy Ching’s Chinese sauces range to make your authentic Indian Chinese fried rice, Chicken 65, and Hakka noodles. Don’t miss out on the
pudina chutney and
imli chutney that go so well with samosas and chaats. They are also a great addition to the Bombay sandwiches that and must-have for bhajjiya parties along with Hot and sweet sauce.
Walk into an Indian store and shop goodies that aren’t just Indian. There are cookies, chocolates, and crisps that look and feel American but have the taste of India.
