What is Moji Masala?
moji masala is the easiest way to transform simple ingredients into a feast for the senses in a short amount of time. Our freshly ground, impeccably stored Indian spice blends (masalas) and Indian cooking recipes provide the foundation for quick, authentic, intensely satisfying meals without the hassle of spice shopping. The single-use, vibrant packaging bears no resemblance to the mass-produced jars gathering dust on your spice rack. These are age-old family recipes that celebrate the cultural, religious and regional diversity of India. So, pick your favorite Moji Masala spice packets. Buy a few grocery items. Use Moji's recipes and prepare to amaze your friends and family by your fabulous Indian cooking skills!
How We Started
Shireen and JD began their life adventure together in 2011 and their masala adventure in 2018. They were driving home from visiting Shireen's family for the weekend, carrying food containers with all their favorite dishes: rogan josh, baked masala chicken, and spiced spinach. Moji, (Shireen’s mother) had lovingly spent the day grinding spices and cooking these mouthwatering meals. During the car ride, Shireen and JD were discussing how they loved Indian food and enjoyed cooking, but they didn’t prepare these dishes often enough simply because there were too many challenges. The cost and time to shop for all the spices made each meal expensive. Even in New York City it was hard to find all the ingredients! Furthermore, in an urban kitchen, who had the space to store all the extra spices that were left over? On the occasions they did cook, Moji’s recipes came out great but took too long to prepare.
They mused how great it would be to have pre-measured spice mixtures readily available to cook anytime. At that moment, inspiration struck, and Moji Masala was born! Determined to make the Indian food they craved quickly and easily, JD and Shireen, with Moji's guidance, began the mission of developing single-serving spice packets with simplified recipes. After a solid year of beta testing on their enthusiastic friends, JD and Shireen were able to offer their first series of spice blends.
Shireen & JD
Shireen’s family hails from Kashmir, a region located in the Himalayan mountains of North India where families show love through the daily preparation of fresh food. She grew up eating Moji’s delicious dishes that were prepared with a unique base of freshly ground aromatic spice mixtures (also called masalas) that livened every meal. Finding it almost impossible to replicate the taste and quality anywhere outside of her home, she began to cook more and more under Moji’s guidance until she had built a repertoire of authentic Kashmiri recipes.
JD, who is Irish–American, grew up on Long Island eating high-quality, organic food that was squarely in the “meat and potatoes” category. A seeker of adventure and new cultural experiences, JD spent five years working in India. He returned home and found he constantly craved the taste of Indian spices and cuisine, and was attracted to the healing nature of the food. Thus began his journey into Ayurvedic cooking.
Paying Homage to our Mojis
Meet the original "Moji", Shireen’s grandmother, a revered and loved matriarch. She married at 13, had five children, and brought presence and joy into every encounter. She held that delicate balance of lightness and fierceness so beautifully, that even when reprimanded you felt her love. She fought a 40-year battle with a heart condition that never interfered with her faith, her commitment to family or her sense of humor. She unknowingly prepared her only daughter, Shireen’s Moji, for a surprising life journey that would take her half way around the world far from the communal village life in which she felt so rooted and never wanted to leave. She did this simply by example, by being the person she wanted her children to be, whatever the circumstances.
