EV’s Take: Brooklyn Delhi Delivers Comforting Lunchtime Convenience
Ready to add a new item to your lunchtime routine? Our review of Brooklyn Delhi’s heat-and-eat pouches ranks all four newly launched flavors.
Several weeks ago, I saw Brooklyn Delhi’s post about the launch of their line of vegan heat-and-eat pouches, and I knew I had to get my hands on them. I used to carry Brooklyn Delhi’s line of simmer sauces and achaars in my shop, so I knew I’d probably really like these entrees. Full disclosure: They sent me these pouches to try for free after I expressed my excitement about them. As I’ve mentioned, I receive no payment for these reviews, so I’m sharing my honest opinion.
Now for the review! These little pouches are great for a quick lunch or a light dinner. They are not particularly calorie-dense, only delivering about 110 to 140 calories per serving. They’re a great, tasty, quick, nutritious option for lunch, particularly if you serve them with naan or basmati rice to help add some weight to the meal. If you want to serve them for dinner, I recommend starch–like naan or basmati rice–as well as a small side salad to round out the meal.
They offer four flavors: Black Bean Butter Masala, Sweet Potato Coconut Dal, Chickpea Tikka Masala, and Red Bean Rajma Masala.
While this review for Brooklyn Delhi’s pouches is largely positive, I did have two spots where I might dock half a point from my overall experience with these products. These are my personal feelings based on my tastes, and your experience may differ depending on your palate.
Sodium
The first is that the sodium is a little on the high side for my tastes, particularly in proportion to the calories. An entire pouch of Sweet Potato Coconut Dal is only 220 calories but 1000 mg of sodium, about 45% of your recommended intake. Eating it with rice or naan will help supplement the entree to make it more filling, but I found myself a little sensitive to the saltiness of each pouch. I asked Brooklyn Delhi if a low-sodium version would ever be on the horizon, and this is their response:
“We’ve always been a flavor-forward brand, so the amount of salt is for optimal flavor and is within range for a daily serving.”
That said, the nutrition of these pouches is similar to that of competing brands with similar products. For example, Tasty Bite’s Chana Masala is 340 calories and delivers 34% of your daily sodium intake.
In comparison, Maya Kaimal’s Everyday Chana Masala pouch contains 360 calories and the same amount of sodium as Tasty Bite. Brooklyn Delhi is on the higher side when considering the calorie-to-sodium ratio. With that in mind, I recommend following the pouch’s advice and serving these saucy entrees alongside naan, rice, quinoa, or tortilla chips.
Spice
These pouches are all marketed at a mild spice level, and Brooklyn Delhi delivers there. I love spice, so I’d selfishly love to see Brooklyn Delhi release a spicy line of heat-and-eat pouches. The pouches–as they are–would certainly be palatable to those averse or sensitive to spicy food. If you like a little heat, I recommend adding a bit of Brooklyn Delhi’s Spicy Mango Chutney for a sweet and spicy finish.
That said, these pouches are great if you’re serving them family-style and need to accommodate a broad range of palates. The condiments that Brooklyn Delhi offers in its shop allow your family to modify the spice level to each person’s preference.
Despite that, these are still a delicious and convenient lunch option. Each flavor is distinctly different, and they are so comforting to eat! My favorite part of each flavor is how clean the ingredient list is! They use whole ingredients “close to the tree,” as one might say. Let’s dig into each flavor with my list that is ranked in order from my most favorite to least favorite flavor.
Sweet Potato Coconut Dal
This was my favorite flavor! The bits of sweet potato with the dal take it over the edge. It’s creamy and comforting, and I could honestly eat the entire pouch in one sitting. I had it with basmati rice, and I also found myself spooning it onto toasted whole wheat wraps. Both ways are delicious! I didn’t have naan, but I can imagine how delicious this would be with warm naan.
Sweet Potato Coconut Dal Ingredients
Water, Red Lentils, Sweet Potato, Coconut Cream, Tomato Paste, Safflower Oil, Sea Salt, Coriander, Cumin, Lemon Juice Powder, Garlic Powder, Turmeric.
Sweet Potato Coconut Dal Nutrition
| Serving Size | ½ container |
| Calories | 110 |
| Total Fat | 3.5g |
| Saturated Fat | 1g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 0mg |
| Sodium | 500mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 16g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4g |
| Total Sugars | 6g |
| Protein | 4g |
Red Bean Rajma Masala
This was my next favorite flavor! The cayenne gives it a very subtle heat, but don’t let that intimidate you. It’s very subtle but gives a little more punch than the other flavors. The red beans are tender and creamy, and the sauce is thick and velvety. This pouch uses the warming flavor of garam masala, which you can taste in every bite.
Red Bean Rajma Masala Ingredients
Water, Onion, Red Kidney Bean, Tomato Paste, Safflower Oil, Ginger, Garlic, Sea Salt, Coriander, Cumin, Tamarind Paste, Turmeric, Garam Masala, Garlic Powder, Cayenne Pepper.
Red Bean Rajma Masala Nutrition
| Serving Size | ½ container |
| Calories | 110 |
| Total Fat | 3.5g |
| Saturated Fat | 0g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 0mg |
| Sodium | 460mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 17g |
| Dietary Fiber | 6g |
| Total Sugars | 2g |
| Protein | 6g |
Chickpea Tikka Masala
This one was tasty, but I wasn’t drawn to it like I was with the Sweet Potato Coconut Dal or the Red Bean Rajma Masala. The chickpeas are well-cooked and tender and the sauce is very thick! I felt the other flavors were a little more robust, and while this one was tasty, I just didn’t think it had that special something-something that the preceding two flavors had. This pouch also has the highest amount of sodium and the least amount of protein. It’s also the most calorie-dense, so you may find it more filling than the other flavors.
Chickpea Tikka Masala Ingredients
Water, Chickpeas, Tomato Paste, Onion, Potato, Coconut Cream, Safflower Oil, Ginger, Garlic, Brown Sugar, Sea Salt, Coriander, Cumin, Garam Masala, Tamarind Paste, Turmeric, Garlic Powder, Cayenne Pepper, Lemon Juice Powder.
Chickpea Tikka Masala Nutrition
| Serving Size | ½ container |
| Calories | 140 |
| Total Fat | 4.5g |
| Saturated Fat | 1g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 0mg |
| Sodium | 520mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 19g |
| Dietary Fiber | 3g |
| Total Sugars | 8g |
| Protein | 4g |
Black Bean Butter Masala
The unfortunate part of rankings is that someone has to end up at the bottom. If I had to pick the least favorite, I would say it was the Black Bean Butter Masala. Compared to the others, I found the flavor of this one to be a bit more muted. This pouch still gives you a thick, hearty entree, but I found myself missing a certain oomph that the others had.
Black Bean Butter Masala Ingredients
Water, Onion, Black Beans, Tomato Paste, Coconut Cream, Safflower Oil, Ginger, Garlic, Sea Salt, Brown Sugar, Cashew Butter, Garam Masala, Tamarind Paste, Turmeric, Cayenne Pepper, Garlic Powder.
Black Bean Butter Masala Nutrition
| Serving Size | ½ container |
| Calories | 130 |
| Total Fat | 3.5g |
| Saturated Fat | 1g |
| Trans Fat | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 0mg |
| Sodium | 510mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 20g |
| Dietary Fiber | 5g |
| Total Sugars | 7g |
| Protein | 5g |
How to cook the heat-and-eat pouches
As the name suggests, you heat and eat! Brooklyn Delhi recommends either the microwave or stovetop.
Microwave
- Step 1: Tear a small 1-inch vent along the perforated line across the top of the pouch.
- Step 2: Place the pouch in the microwave vertically.
- Step 3: Microwave on high for 90 seconds.
Carefully remove it from the microwave. The pouch itself will be hot, so handle it with care! Brooklyn Delhi recommends holding the seams along the side of the pouch when removing from the microwave. I recommend letting the pouch stand for a minute or two to release the extra steam before removing the top of the pouch.
Stovetop
- Step 1: Empty the pouch into a saucepan. Turn the heat to medium.
- Step 2: Allow the contents to bubble and simmer for about 5 minutes until heated through.
- Step 3: Transfer to a serving bowl.
I opted for the stovetop method, and I can vouch for the pouch! The meals cook up impressively fast! We did a bit of a world tour and tried all of the flavors at the table with basmati rice and toasted wraps.
Where can I buy Brooklyn Delhi’s microwaveable pouches?
Brooklyn Delhi launched these nationwide at Whole Foods, and you can grab them on Amazon! Which flavor are you going to try first? I recommend starting with the Sweet Potato Coconut Dal! Or maybe the Black Bean Butter Masala or Red Bean Rajma Masala are calling your name. You can always go with a classic and try the Chickpea Tikka Masala instead!
What do you think?
Have you tried them? Love them or hate them? After reading our review of Brooklyn Delhi heat-and-eat pouches, do you think you’ll run to Whole Foods to snag them for yourself? Tell us in the comments!
