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The Evolution of Spice Grinding: Our Journey with Cold Ground Spices at -196°C
The Importance of Spices in Cuisine
Spices are the cornerstone of many cuisines, particularly Indian cuisine. Before dry mixers became household appliances, most spices were ground using a pestle and mortar. This traditional method preserved the integrity and flavor of the spices as they were ground and stored at room temperature. With the advent of dry mixers, households began grinding spices in small quantities, sufficient for a few days of cooking. Flavor comprises both taste and aroma, and our mothers and grandmothers preferred pestle and mortar over dry mixers for a reason.
The Heat Sensitivity of Spices
In spice processing, grinding plays a crucial role and requires special emphasis due to the significant quality loss caused by heat generation. Spices contain essential oils crucial for flavor, aroma, color, and their therapeutic properties. These oils are highly sensitive to heat during the grinding process, which can degrade their quality.
Introduction to Cold Ground Spices
At Just Half Spoon, we pride ourselves on leveraging advanced technology to ensure the highest quality in our spices. Cold grinding spices at extremely low temperatures (-196°C) solidifies the oils and makes the spices brittle, resulting in a finer and more consistent grind. This process retains the flavor and nutritional values of spices like chilies, pepper, cardamom, cumin, and turmeric much better than ambient grinding.
Our Journey to Just Half Spoon
Our restaurant is much loved for the quality and taste of the food we serve. Consistency in taste and quality is what discerning patrons demand. However, we found this simple request to be a tough challenge due to the inconsistencies in the taste of the masala powders available in the market. We persevered with what we could source and endeavored to never disappoint our customers, but the need for a sustainable solution was always at the back of our minds.
When the COVID-19 lockdowns occurred, they proved to be a blessing in disguise. The downtime gave us the opportunity to address the problems with masala powders and find a sustainable solution. Our knowledge and experience in cooking, combined with further study of spices, empowered us to experiment with different processes that could bring about a change.
Discovering the Benefits of Cold Grinding
During our testing, we found that freezing the roasted spices to a temperature as low as -196°C during the grinding process yielded much better results. This process retained 50% more etheric oils present in the spices, enhancing flavors and aroma. It also helped boost immunity and reduce inflammation.
Encouraged by our findings, we adopted cold grinding technology to address the inconsistent taste of masala powders. We are proud to be among the very few industries to employ this technology.
Developing the Optimal Machinery
Deciding upon the machinery and suitable infrastructure for cold grinding was a process that required much deliberation and thought. The optimum solution was arrived at after about seven months of trial and error. Addressing various issues and finding the right solution, instead of just opting for turnkey solutions from suppliers, helped us cap expenses and save a huge amount of money—a benefit we happily pass on to our customers. Working on a custom solution helped us understand the limitations of each component of the system and find the best solutions for various parameters such as the motor's torque, rotor weight, RPM, pneumatic control for liquid nitrogen, and control panel software.
Commitment to Quality and Safety
Our strong commitment to stringent operational measures has resulted in minimal contact between products and staff during the packing process. We use a state-of-the-art automatic packing machine to pack our cold ground spice powders. We are proud to say that we are the first in the country to use food-grade aluminum foil for primary packing. This ensures better shelf life and enhanced retention of the quality of our cold ground spice powders for a long time.
We value the health and safety of our employees. Apart from constantly improving the work environment and implementing better safety and welfare measures, we also use traditional practices such as yoga to keep our team healthy, positive, and motivated.
Embracing Technology for Superior Spices
Our persistent efforts to embrace the best and latest technology have given us an edge at every stage of development and expansion. "Just Half Spoon" is the result of many years of research, development, and improvements. It represents our endeavor to produce the best-tasting masala powders by combining traditional recipes, flavors, and taste with a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.
Vision and Mission
Vision: To decorate every kitchen with affordable, nutritious spice packs ground with hygiene and quality.
Mission: To become the most preferred spice brand ever.
Our Leadership
Founders:
-Raghunath Srivatsa: Restaurateur and an Ex-IT Architect, Engineer who worked at NetSol, Lucent Technologies, and Texas Instruments.
- Ramya Ram A: Co-founder and Director, B.Sc. in IT and MBA (SMU), University Topper.
- Shishir V Mandya: Advisor, Masters in Organic Chemistry, PG in Herbal Medicine and Foreign Trade, worked as DGM at Tata Exports and Huntsman.
- Dr. Naveen: Industrialist and Physician, Partner at Sigma Cranes and Hoists.
Director and Investor:
- Sri Vathsa: Ex-Director at Texas Instruments.
Taste it to believe it. Discover what the best tastes like.
Our journey is a testament to innovation, resilience, and a relentless pursuit of quality. From the challenges of inconsistent masala powders to the breakthrough discovery of cold grinding, we have continuously strived to bring the best flavors to your kitchen. At Just Half Spoon, we invite you to taste the future and experience the difference.