Handi

Imagine a single golden thread weaving through Eid, Diwali, and Christmas dinners across South Asia and its diaspora. That thread is sevaiyan -Handi’s Sialkoti Vermicelli and U‑Shaped Vermicelli – glossed with nutty ghee and studded with sun‑kissed dry fruits. – Chand Raat (Eid Eve) Streetlights flicker; henna dries in intricate swirls. In the kitchen, vermicelli roasts in desi ghee until copper‑brown. Dates, figs, and slivered almonds wait their cue. Milk bubbles, cardamom sighs, and sheer‑khurma is born -sweet enough to break a month of fasting, light enough to leave room for kebabs. – Diwali Dawn Firecrackers rest; diyas still glow. Families wake early, bathe, and offer prayers. Breakfast is kheer made with the same Handi vermicelli but perfumed this time with saffron and garnished with pistachio ‘confetti.’ Sweetness welcomes Lakshmi, goddess of prosperity. – Christmas Midnight Service Carols fade into the cool night. Back home, a pot of vermicelli pudding simmers quietly beside fruitcake. The recipe migrated with Goan and Anglo‑Indian communities -coconut milk replaces dairy, cashews replace almonds, but the backbone remains that delicate wheat string. Why Handi’s Vermicelli Wins Every Festival Beyond Desserts – A 15‑Minute Savory Hack Sauté onions, green chilli, and Handi dry apricots in ghee. Toss in broken vermicelli, add stock, and cook like you would upma. Breakfast of champions, ready before the kettle whistles. From Lahore to London, Dubai to Detroit, families swap greetings and sometimes even religions -but the comfort of toasted vermicelli threads through them all. Stock up, stir well, celebrate often.

Field notes from the Muzafrabad, Kashmir, late January The bus door sighed open and a rush of pine‑scented air filled my lungs. In the small Kashmirivillage of Muzafrabad, the snow looked like sifted atta and every second shop kept a brass samavar humming. Inside the kettle, the alchemy was in motion: green tea leaves, salt, a pinch of Handi baking soda turning the brew a curious shade of ocean‑blue before milk shifted it to rose quartz. The shopkeeper, Ashraf, poured me a clay cup. “This colour,” he said, “is winter’s blush.” He cracked a smile, sprinkled crushed pistachios on the foam, and handed it over. One sip -creamy, lightly salty, lightly sweet -and the cold in my bones retreated. From Mountain Ritual to Metro Café Handi’s Kashmiri Pink Tea Jar scoops that valley ritual into an easy, shelf‑stable blend. No trekking boots required. Yet the lineage stays intact: high‑elevation green tea, sun‑dried rose petals, a whisper of cardamom. Cafés in Toronto have started foaming it into ‘Noon‑Chai Lattes,’ garnished with edible gold dust. Same soul, different skyline. The Science Behind the Blush Tea polyphenols + altitude‑grown sodium = blue. Add milk (protein + lactose) and watch the pH dance into pink. Grandmas did it long before lab coats explained it. Brew It Your Way Story in a Cup: Legends say pink tea warmed Mughal caravans crossing these passes. Today it warms students pulling all‑nighters and new parents pacing nursery floors. Same comfort, new chapters. Retailers: stock both Handi Pink and Peshawari Green side by side -the blush and the cleanse. They move fast in winter, faster during Ramadan suhoor.

If you want to understand South‑Asian resilience, look no further than a humble bowl of dal. In it lies history, nutrition, and the quiet genius of turning crops into complete meals. UN‑Backed Superfoods The United Nations named 2016 the International Year of Pulses to spotlight their role in sustainable agriculture. Moong and chana dal, two of Handi’s best‑sellers, use a fraction of the water needed for animal protein yet deliver comparable amino acids -good news for athletes and eco‑warriors alike. Cooking Wisdom -Old & New Traditional soak: Our grandmothers soaked dal overnight, reducing cooking time and enhancing digestibility. Quick tech: In a modern pressure cooker or Instant Pot, moong dal softens in 8 minutes, chana dal in 12. Add turmeric and bay leaf for depth. Versatility on the Plate Cultural Significance Dal is democratic. It feeds royal banquets and roadside dhabas, vegetarians observing fasts and bodybuilders upping protein. Children learn to spell with lentils on kitchen floors; brides are blessed with a handful for prosperity. Retail & Food‑Service Edge Handi offers dal in consumer‑friendly 2‑lb pouches and 25‑lb sacks for restaurants. Cleaned, graded, and triple‑sifted, our pulses cut prep time for chefs and home cooks alike. Order Now!

The soft clap of dough against a tandoor’s clay walls is more than cooking; it’s theatre. At 900 °F, a naan inflates like a balloon, picking up charred freckles that taste of smoke and celebration. Handi’s frozen tandoori naans capture that magic in minutes -and when paired with our basmati rice, they turn an everyday dinner into a festival spread. A Brief History of Communal Ovens The word tandoor likely traces back to ancient Mesopotamia, but it was the Mughal emperors who popularised clay ovens across the Indian subcontinent. Caravanserais offered weary travellers naan and kebabs, a comfort that soon found its way into royal kitchens and -centuries later -Toronto’s Little Pakistan. Why Frozen Can Beat Fresh Flash‑freezing naan moments after baking locks in moisture and char without preservatives. That means you, me, or a busy chef can have pillowy bread in under five minutes -no dough resting, no live fire required. Building a Perfect Plate Mix and match; the dance of grain and bread is what makes South‑Asian dining communal. Lay everything out dastarkhwan‑style and let folks tear, scoop, and savor. Serving & Storage Tips Restaurants, caterers, and busy homes alike rely on Handi’s naan‑and‑rice duo for consistency without compromise. Order today and give your menu an instant upgrade.

A handful of snacks can say a lot about who we are and where we come from. In South Asia, two nibbles reign supreme: phool makhana -those airy popped lotus seeds that melt like clouds -and bhuna chana, the humble roasted chickpea that has fueled farmers, schoolkids, and late‑night storytellers for centuries. From Sacred Ponds to Your Pantry Long before makhana turned up on wellness blogs, it floated -literally -in the lotus ponds of Bihar’s Mithila region. Families would wade in at dawn, harvesting the prickly euryale ferox seeds, then slow‑roast them in earthen pots. The popping process is laborious: heat, hammer, repeat. But each pop releases a pearl that’s vegan, gluten‑free, and loaded with calcium, iron, and plant protein. Today, Handi partners with these same cottage‑industry roasters, ensuring fair prices and chemical‑free processing. The result? Seeds so light they bounce on your palm, yet so satisfying they replace a bowl of popcorn in one crunchy swoop. Chana: The OG Protein Bite Before protein bars cluttered shelves, roasted chana delivered pure, slow‑release energy. Handi’s chana is sourced from drought‑resistant kabuli and desi chickpeas, dry‑roasted without oil. One serving packs 6 g of protein, gut‑friendly fiber, and a hit of iron -no additives, no mystery sugars. How to Use Them Beyond Snacking Cultural Crunch Every grandmother has her timing: makhana during Navratri fasts, chana wrapped in newspaper at cricket matches. These snacks bridge ritual and recreation, making them relevant whether you’re observing vrat or binge‑watching a series. Stock them for impulse buys at the cash register or feature them in the health‑food aisle -either way, they fly off shelves. Get yours at the closest ethnic grocery store.

When you open your spice drawer and see a flash of red, yellow, or orange -you’re looking atcenturies of culture, medicine, and cuisine. Handi’s Kashmiri Chilli, Turmeric, and Paprika aren’tjust for flavour. They carry stories. Kashmiri chilli brings colour without the fire -perfect for dishes that should look hot but tastegentle. Turmeric, our household healer, is rich in curcumin and grounding in everything from dalto golden milk. And paprika? It’s the bridge. Sweet and smoky, it ties South Asian dishes to theglobal palate. These spices are sun-dried, slow-ground, and meant to be used generously. From butterchicken to barbecue rubs, they belong in every kitchen. Want to make your shelves more vibrant? Check out our full spice collection today.

Not all sweetness comes in white crystals. In fact, for generations in South Asia, real sweetnesscame from something earthy, rich, and packed with minerals -jaggery. Handi’s line of Pesi Gur, Shakkar, and Masala Gur is made the way it’s always been -open-panboiled from raw sugarcane juice, shaped by hand, and never bleached or processed. It’s thetaste of winter warmth, of new motherhood, of that first spoonful of gajar ka halwa. In a time when everyone’s watching labels and seeking better options, jaggery is a naturallynutritious choice -packed with iron, magnesium, and character. Try this: replace white sugar with grated Handi Gur in your halwa or chai. You’ll taste thedifference, and feel it too. Explore the Handi jaggery range online or at your local grocer.

Before steel rollers and factory flour, there was the chakki -the traditional stone mill that gavewheat its soul. Handi keeps that soul alive in our Chakki Atta and Besan. Our stone‑ground atta makes rotis that puff just right, soft yet sturdy. Ask any aunty and she’lltell you: a good atta is the secret to round rotis and fewer kitchen complaints. But let’s talk about besan. Chickpea flour -also known as gram flour -isn’t just a pantry item; it’sa protein powerhouse. Made from split Bengal gram (chana dal), Handi’s besan is finely milledto retain its natural oils, nutty aroma, and nutritional value. A 100 g serving of besan containsroughly 22 g of protein, 10 g of dietary fiber, and significant amounts of iron, magnesium, andfolate. That’s more protein than most commercial wheat flours and more fiber than quinoa. Used across the subcontinent in hundreds of dishes -think crispy pakoras, dhokla, boondi,cheela (savory pancakes), and kadhi -besan adapts effortlessly from street food to homecooking to temple offerings. It’s also a go-to flour for gluten-free baking and vegan eggsubstitutes. What makes Handi Besan stand out is the consistency: no clumps, no grit, and no bitteraftertaste. We triple-sieve every batch to ensure fluffiness and blend-ability, so whether you’remixing a batter or kneading dough, it folds in smoothly. And don’t overlook its beauty benefits: for generations, besan has been used in face masks forglowing skin. Just mix with turmeric and milk for an age-old skincare remedy that’s stood thetest of time. For weddings, fasts, or just Sunday brunch, these are the flours that do more than fill. Theynourish, energize, and bring generations together. Available in both home and bulk sizes.Order now to bring tradition to your shelves.

It’s the scent of celebration -cardamom, or “elaichi,” is that bold, slightly floral note in yourmasala chai, the heart of your mom’s biryani, and the flavor you never forget in kheer. Handibrings you two powerhouses: vibrant green cardamom for sweetness, and deep, smoky blackcardamom for savory soul. Green cardamom is your dessert go-to -crack open a pod, and it perfumes the whole dish. Blackcardamom, on the other hand, adds earthy complexity to stews and slow-cooked meats. Onesweet, one bold. Together, they tell the story of South Asian kitchens. Want a simple way to impress? Simmer a pot of chai with crushed green cardamom, ginger, andmilk. It’s the comfort of tradition in a teacup. Handi’s pods are sun-dried, hand-selected, and packed to keep their essential oils intact. Findthem where spices tell stories or find a store near you.

There’s something timeless about the smell of basmati rice wafting from the kitchen -a reminder of family dinners, Eid feasts, or Sunday afternoons filled with laughter and spice. Handi Extreme Extra-Long Basmati Rice carries that memory, grain by grain. Sourced from the snow-fed plains of Punjab and aged naturally for up to 18 months, this rice isn’t just long in length -it’s long on lineage. Each harvest is carefully selected from smallholder farms where heritage seed varieties and glacier waters create grains that are aromatic, strong, and satisfyingly fluffy when cooked. If you’ve ever tried to make a biryani and ended up with sticky, clumpy rice, the difference starts right here. Rinse, soak, and follow a 1:1.5 rice-to-water ratio. Let it rest. What you’ll get is elegance -rice that stands tall and holds flavour. Across Canada, families and chefs alike are choosing Handi’s 10 lb and 40 lb packs for consistency and quality. From Scarborough’s bustling restaurants to Mississauga’s weekend potlucks, this is the rice that shows up and shows off. Find it at your nearest South Asian grocer or ask us how to stock it for your kitchen or store.