Mother’s Recipe Ready To Cook Mix Review: Quick & Tasty

A large portion of North Indian gravies is prepared using an onion-tomato base with variations in seasoning, protein source, and veggies. The number of ingredients that go into the pan to make an aromatic base is relatively high. So what if you could cut down on the whole process and just make a dish in three simple steps? 

Let us introduce you to ready to cook mixes (powders). All these powdered mixes need are two kitchen staples and meat/vegetables as mentioned. In under 10 minutes (yes, 10), your lip-smacking gravy is ready!

We ordered Paneer Butter Masala and Butter Chicken Masala for our Mother’s Recipe Ready To Cook Mix review. Like there are two sides to a coin, and there are pros and cons to most quick fixes. Here’s what you need to know.

All fundamental details about the Mother’s Recipe Ready To Cook Mix are discussed in this section. 

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1. Available Variants

The range of ready to cook mixes offered by the brand is vast and varied. These include-

• Goan Prawn Curry
• Goan Fish Curry
• Mutton Curry Mix
• Malabar Fish Curry
• Malabar Chicken Curry
• Kerala Prawns Fry
• Kerala Chicken Roast
• Fish Curry Mix
• Chicken Tikka Mix
• Chicken Nawabi Mix
• Chicken Moghalai Mix
• Chicken Curry Mix
• Chicken Chettinad Mix
• Chicken Biryani Mix
• Egg Curry Mix
• Butter Chicken Mix
• Shahi Paneer Mix
• Vegetable Biryani Mix
• Veg Makhanwala Mix
• Pav Bhaji Mix
• Paneer Tikka Masala Mix
• Paneer Butter Masala Mix
• Kadhai Paneer Mix

2. Package Type

These mixes are double-packed. The outer vibrant-colored wrapper displays information like calories, cooking instructions, etc 

Inside, there’s a transparent pack holding the mix. 

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3. Price Range

All variants in this range are priced at Rs 55. 

4. Shelf Life

These ready-to-cook mixes have a shelf life of nine months. 

Related Reading- Mother’s Recipe Papad

Ready-to-cook mixes add ease and convenience to the meal prep. But what if they are all convenience and no taste? Here’s an insight into our review process, the key factors we base our reviews upon to produce an unbiased opinion. 

1. Main Ingredients

As mentioned earlier, the gravies are typically prepared with onions, tomatoes, ginger/garlic, and some greens. By scanning the ingredient list on these mixes, we decoded the type and quality of ingredients used. 

2. Taste

Restaurant dishes are prepared with a higher proportion of oils and masalas. A relatively higher quantity of these ingredients results in a marginally better-tasting dish.

We judged these ready-to-cook mixes on the ‘taste’ parameter by checking the balance between spices and herbs, the salt level, and whether or not they had that slight sweetness ‘butter masala’ gravies are known for. 

How was the final outcome with Mother’s Recipe? Homestyle or restaurant-like?

3. Texture

‘Butter masala’ dishes generally have smooth, buttery gravies. Were these smooth and buttery or did they show varied textures? 

Were the veggies (onions and tomatoes) turned into a plain-textured puree or were there chewy bits of the same?

4. Aroma

Buttery, a bit tangy, and generously of Indian spices- this was the kind of aroma we were looking for. Do these ready-to-cook mixes meet our expectations?

5. Appearance

Tomato-based gravies have a vibrant red appearance. But ‘butter masala’ gravies are typically lighter, they have a more tangerine-like color. How did these gravies look? 

6. Nutritional Facts

Dishes prepared at home are more often than not, lighter on the palette and tummy and relatively lower in calories as compared to the same dish at a restaurant. Following are the nutritional facts are only for 100 grams of the powder (without the addition of milk/butter)

Butter Chicken Masala- 371 Kcal, 9 grams of protein, 11 grams of fat, and 59 grams of carbohydrates (of which 31 grams are sugar)

Paneer Butter Masala- 367 Kcal, 9 grams of protein, 11 grams of fat, and 58 grams of carbohydrates (of which 31 grams are sugar)

Mother’s Recipe Mom’s Style Upma is a RTE snack we reviewed earlier and could barely make out the difference between this and a bowl of upma prepared at home. Have you tried it yet?

Our experience with two RTE mixes from Mother’s Recipe is shared below. 

1. Butter Chicken masala 

Rich, creamy, and buttery smooth- that’s the type of gravy the chicken should be swimming in. 

Before beginning the cooking process, we read the cooking instructions carefully to ensure we don’t miss out on anything. The pack mentioned adding approximately 300 grams of boneless chicken. 

How did we prepare the Butter Chicken Masala?

• First we sauteed the chicken with a tablespoon of butter. This was cooked until it turned golden brown.
• While the chicken was sauteing, we added half a cup (125 ml) of milk and one cup (250 ml) of water to the mix and turned it into a gravy-like consistency. 
• This was poured over the sauteed chicken and mixed well. We covered the pot and let the contents cook for 8-10 minutes. Two tablespoons of butter were added further and this aromatic side dish was served. 
• This preparation is adequate for two servings. 

We were looking for a smooth, rich, and buttery gravy. While the richness and buttery textures were found, the smoothness was questionable. The gravy was dominated by a coarse texture. The texture of the gravy felt like it was loaded with grated onions. 

Overall, the dish had a warm orange appearance and did not look too oily. A subtle garam masala aroma was inviting.

When we tasted the dish without any mains (rice/roti), we observed how well the chicken had taken on the flavors. Well-balanced and neither too sweet nor too sour, the gravy is seasoned quite well. Salt and spice were in sync too.

Features

• An 80-gram pack is priced at Rs 55.
• It has a shelf life of nine months. 
• Main Ingredients- Onion, Tomato Powder, Sugar, Cottonseed Oil, Iodized Salt, Skimmed Milk Powder, Rice Flakes, Red Chilli Powder, Cashewnut, Coriander, Dry Garlic, Mixed Spices, Acidity Regulator, Dry Ginger. 

Likes

• The taste and aroma are quite good.
• Cooking instructions and proportions are accurate.
• All flavors are absorbed well by the chicken.
• This is a beginner-friendly and budget-friendly product.

Dislikes

• The texture of the gravy isn’t smooth as it should be. 

Best Suited For

Unannounced guests or a lazy weekend, Mother’s Recipe Butter Chicken Masala is a handy option for when either ingredients aren’t available or you need something quick and tasty.

2. Paneer Butter Masala

For Paneer Butter Masala, we needed 250 grams of paneer, a cup of water, half a cup of milk, and two tablespoons of butter. The cooking process is almost similar, only the sequence is altered.

How did we prepare the Paneer Butter Masala?

• Instead of starting with the protein source, the pack recommended starting with the gravy first.
• A cup of water and half a cup of milk were mixed with the gravy powder.
• This mix was then added to a pan with 200 grams of paneer cubes. 
• We let the gravy and paneer cook for around seven minutes and once the gravy looked cooked and had coated the paneer cubes, we added two tablespoons of butter right before serving.

Despite some lumps in the powder form, this turned into a gravy quite effortlessly. During and after cooking, we observed an invigorating aroma of dry spices. This was slightly creamy. Ginger and khada masala were the most prominent. 

Visually too, this looked creamy and resembled a restaurant-like dish. 

Similar to Butter Chicken, this gravy did not have a smooth texture. The texture resembled that of grated onions. 

On tasting, this came very close to a homemade paneer butter masala. We noticed balanced sweetness and sourness with just a mild spice kick. 

Just like the first variant, this dish would suffice two serves. Although the pack suggests 250 grams, we added 200 grams as it seemed proportionate. 

Cottonseed oil has been used in the gravy mix. As compared to most refined oils, cottonseed oil is a common choice for the commercial food and snack industry. This is because cottonseed oil does not break down as easily when it comes in contact with heat. The primary fatty acid in cottonseed oil is omega-6.

Features

• A 75-gram pack is priced at Rs 55
• It has a shelf life of nine months. 
• Main Ingredients- Onion, Edible Vegetable Oil, Skimmed Milk Powder, Sugar, Edible Common Salt, Tomato Powder, Cashew nut, Garlic, Ginger Spices & Condiments, Coriander and Cumin.

Likes

• This is seasoned to perfection.
• This mix is exceptionally convenient to prepare. Only three ingredients are required.
• One pack is sufficient for 2-3 serves. 

Dislikes

• The quantity of paneer suggested was a little more than needed.
• The texture of the gravy is not ‘butter masala’-like smooth. 

Best Suited For

Culinary newbies, those with limited access to ingredients/cutlery, Mother’s Recipe Paneer Butter Masala is going to be your best friend. 

Of the two we tried, Mother’s Recipe Ready To Cook Paneer Butter Masala was the better choice. It is flavored adequately and the texture of the gravy is marginally better when compared to Butter Chicken Masala.

Quick, convenient, and tasty, we give Mother’s Recipe Ready To Cook mix a big thumbs up. The fact that there was no nasty oily aftertaste or undesirable aroma, made our experience even better. 

What’s your favorite protein source?

Here are some interesting FAQs on Mother’s Recipe ready-to-cook mix.

1. How to prepare dishes with these ready-to-cook mixes?

You need to add water, milk, and butter as suggested, and cook with chicken or paneer for 5-7 minutes. 

2. Do these mixes contain preservatives?

Yes, they contain INS 330 which is essentially a citric acid that helps maintain the pH levels in foods. 

3. Are these mixes healthy to consume?

Instant mixes are meant for occasional use. But we recommend monitoring and limiting the consumption of packaged foods. 

4. Do these mixes have extra spice added to them?

Yes, red chilli powder and some mixed spices are added to the gravy mix. 

5. Which is the best ready-to-cook mix amongst these?

We liked Paneer Butter Masala more than Butter Chicken Masala.

* If you do agree with our review, please give it a thumbs up! And, tell us which one is your favorite from this list. If you don’t, please tell us why!

* Food & Beverage is a constantly evolving segment with new products launched daily. Our endeavor here is to help shoppers buy better. If there’s a product you would like us to review tell us by clicking here.

* Our reviews are unbiased and all samples used during the reviews were paid for by us. Read our entire ethics statement here.

* No part of this review is sponsored by any brand. All expenses were borne by us.