Square brass masala dabba with the floral lid slid aside to show round loose cups and a brass spoon - Peetal Parampara

Brass Masala Dabba with Square Floral Lid

Rs. 3,799.00

Brass Masala Dabba with Square Floral Lid

Name: Brass Masala Dabba with Square Floral Lid
Brand: PEETAL PARAMPARA
SKU: PP-BR-DIN-MSL-013
Price: 3799.0 INR
Availability: InStock

A square brass masala dabba with loose round cups under a floral worked lid.

Rs. 3,799.00

Price includes GST.

Weight: 1,200g

Material: Brass, unlacquered
Finish: Brushed satin body, patterned lid
Lining: Not lined, bare brass inside
Bowls: Round loose inner cups standing in a square body
Spoon: One slim brass spoon with a worked handle

In the box

1 square brass masala dabba with lid
Loose round inner cups
1 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.

Round cups in a square box leave the corners empty, and that is where a whole chilli or a stick of dalchini ends up. The lid is the only worked surface on the piece, floral scroll running edge to edge and stopping at a plain border, while the four walls of the box are left brushed and bare. It lifts by a small turned knob on a stem, and it sits flat across the rim rather than dropping down inside it.

What is it?

A masala dabba is the spice tin a cook keeps within reach of the flame, its inner cups sitting loose in one lidded body so each masala stays apart and the whole set travels to the stove together.

Also known as a masaladani, spice box, anjarai petti, masala container or peetal dabba.

What is in the box?

1 square brass masala dabba with lid
Loose round inner cups
1 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.

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. The walls, the floor, the cups and the lid are all brass sheet, and 1,200 g across that many parts is more metal than a plated shell of the same footprint would carry.

Will it look exactly like the photograph?

Close, but not identical. The lid pattern is worked piece by piece and the brushed finish on the walls picks up light differently on every box, so the two will not match line for line.

Is it tin lined?

No. Bare brass inside. Dry spices are fine against it. A wet spoon going back into a cup is what leaves a mark you then have to scrub out.

Can I keep curd, lemon or pickle in it?

No. Keep it to dry masalas. Anything wet or sour will stand against bare brass, take on a metallic edge and leave a mark in the cup that scrubbing will not lift.

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.

How many cups are inside?

The lid is slid only part way across in the one photograph we have, so the full count cannot be read off it and we will not print a number we cannot see. The cups are round, loose and all one size.