Brass Masala Dabba with Domed Lid

Name: Brass Masala Dabba with Domed Lid
Brand: PEETAL PARAMPARA
SKU: PP-BR-DIN-MSL-004
Price: 5199.0 INR
Availability: InStock

A hammered brass masala dabba with seven deep cups under a satin lid and ball knob.

Rs. 5,199.00

Price includes GST.

Weight: 1,400g

Material: Brass, unlacquered
Finish: Hand hammered, matte satin
Lining: Not lined, bare brass inside
Bowls: Seven deep straight-sided inner cups
Spoon: One slim brass spoon

In the box

1 brass masala dabba with lid
7 deep inner cups
1 slim brass spoon

Check delivery to your PIN code

Estimated, not a guarantee. Dispatched from Guwahati, Monday to Saturday.

Each piece is shaped and finished by hand, so small differences in weight, size, finish and surface marking are normal and no two are identical. Colour on screen can differ from the metal in daylight. Handmade in India.

The whole outside is left satin. Hammer marks run in close rows over the lid and down the body and nothing has been buffed back to a mirror, so the brass reads matte gold rather than bright. The lid lifts to a shallow dome with a small turned ball on a collared stem at its centre. The seven inner cups are straight-sided and deep, closer to small tumblers than to bowls, and they stand almost as tall as the wall of the base.

Technique

Hand Hammered

What is it?

A masala dabba is the lidded round tin a cook keeps within arm's reach of the flame, with a separate inner bowl for each spice so nothing has to be measured out of a bag in the middle of a tempering.

Also known as a masaladani, spice box, peetal masala dabba, spice tin or masala box.

What is in the box?

1 brass masala dabba with lid
7 deep inner cups
1 slim brass spoon

How do I look after it?

Wash by hand with a mild dishwashing liquid and a soft sponge. Dry fully with a cloth before putting it away — water left standing is what causes spotting.
Brass darkens. It reacts with air and with the oils on your hands, and a piece in daily use will dull within weeks. That is the metal telling you it is not plated.
To bring the shine back: a paste of lemon juice and salt, or tamarind pulp, or a proprietary brass cleaner. Rub, rinse, dry. Two minutes.
Do not use steel wool, scouring pads or bleach.
Not dishwasher safe. Not microwave safe.
If you would rather it stayed dark, leave it alone — a settled patina protects the surface.

How was it made?

Hand Hammered

Handmade in India

Every piece finished by hand

Solid metal

No plating, nothing to chip

Weighed and listed

In grams, on almost every page

Tin lining stated

Where a vessel is lined, we say so

Questions about this piece

Is this brass solid or plated?

Solid. Sheet brass right through the base, the cups and the lid, and 1,400 g spread over ten separate parts is more than a plated shell of the same size could weigh.

Will it look exactly like the photograph?

No two come out the same. The hammering is struck by hand, so the pattern of the marks, the width of the plain bands and the depth of the polish all shift a little from one to the next.

Is it tin lined?

No, there is no lining. Dry masalas do not need one. The deep cups are harder to dry out than shallow bowls, so let them air fully before they go back in the base.

Can I keep curd, lemon or pickle in it?

No. Dry masalas only. Wet or sour contents will stain the cups and take on a metallic edge, and the deep walls make them harder to scrub out than a shallow bowl.

Can I put it in the dishwasher?

Hand wash only. Dishwasher salts strip the shine off brass and leave it grey and blotchy. Warm water, a soft sponge, then dry it with a cloth before it goes back on the shelf.

Can I keep whole spices in it?

Yes, and the depth is the reason to. The cups are straight-sided and tall, so a cinnamon stick or a spoonful of whole jeera drops in upright instead of lying across the rim of a shallow bowl.