As a result of being more open to new foods, flavours and ways of eating while still being very much focused on ‘clean eating’, I’m enjoying introducing these into my diet every now and then. I was delighted then, when Loyd Grossman got in touch via Twitter invited me to try their new limited edition Mint Masala sauce. Usually James and I make everything from scratch and rarely use shop-bought sauces but I was excited to give this a go.
Inspired by the use of mint ‘Pudina’ in Indian cookery, incorporating this to the classic combination of tomatoes, coriander, yogurt and spices, this addition aims to “bring out an extra fresh note to the vibrant flavour of the sauce.” Listed along these ingredients in the Mint Masala 350g jar includes; red pepper, garlic, onion and chillies, with one serving accounting for 1 of your 5 a day. The sauce isn’t too unhealthy either, with 165 kcal per serving (half a jar) with about 12% fat from the oil.
An exclusive curry pack arrived in the post in a very stylish black box containing a jar of the Mint Masala sauce, plus a Tikka Masala sauce already available on the market, a pack of Loyd Grossman Naan breads (James was pleased about this – double for him as they contain wheat), box of white rice, a cute Balti dish and recipe card.
Simply cooking some chicken and adding the sauce to simmer for 20 minutes ready to serve with rice or Naan breads or chapatis makes this a really simple but tasty mid-week dish; however I wanted to add a colourful twist and bump up the nutritional value, so I added a diced onion, chopped yellow pepper, threw in some fresh spinach leaves towards the end of cooking and served it alongside steamed mangetout and baby corn to soak up the wonderful juices.
Mint Masala: The verdict
I was pleasantly surprised that the Loyd Grossman Mint Masala sauce didn’t contain any artificial additives or flavours and tasted fresh, almost homemade. I could pick out hints of ginger, cardamom, coriander and fenugreek while the mint packed a wonderful punch, lifting the sauce and making it taste less ‘heavy’. The thought of excess oil is another reason why I stay away from sauces – especially the curry variety – but this was non-greasy and not too rich, being mostly made up of tomatoes and spices.
As shown in the image, I served mine in the Balti dish with steamed babycorn and mangetout but James very much enjoyed his portion with white rice and a Naan bread to soak up and savour the juices from this tasty, zingy mint masala sauce; as a curry novice, I enjoyed this and will certainly look out for it again once it hits the shops!