Is this a shit gift?

[OhhBetty]

A group of friends and I are doing secret santa this year with a 15 pound limit. The person I've got is so hard to buy for! She just buys everything she wants as she is very wealthy! Things like bath stuff or anything girly is a no no. She does like her spicy food and spent a lot of time in India and her partner is Indian and she cooks that style of food.

I've come across a gift set with all kinds of spices in including some rare ones. Does this sound ok to you or does it sound like a shit present?!

[roses2]

A few people on the thread have recommended the book Made In India.

I will add to that. The recipes are amazing!

I am Indian and this book is the closest I have got to cooking real Indian food.

[Showmeagain]

I second the idea of saffron. This is a really cute set with its own saffron pestle and mortar

www.saffronspices.co.uk/1g-tin-grade-1-sargol-gift-set-pestle-mortar

[PunkAssMoFo]

Paneer making kit:

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/371781167219?lpid=122&chn=ps&adgroupid=27378760866&rlsatarget=pla-181484335986&adtype=pla&poi=&googleloc=9041112&device=m&campaignid=620865095&crdt=0&ul_ref=http%253A%252F%252Frover.ebay.com%252Frover%252F1%252F710-134428-41853-0%252F2%253Fmtid%253D1673%2526kwid%253D1%2526crlp%253D110919892746_563391%2526itemid%253D371781167219%2526targetid%253D181484335986%2526device%253Dm%2526mpre%253Dhttp%25253a%25252f%25252fwww.ebay.co.uk%25252fitm%25252flike%25252f371781167219%25253flpid%25253d122%252526chn%25253Dps%2526adtype%253Dpla%2526googleloc%253D9041112%2526poi%253D%2526campaignid%253D620865095%2526adgroupid%253D27378760866%2526rlsatarget%253Dpla-181484335986%2526gclid%253DCPDJyoqOn9ACFVYo0wod38cI4Q%2526srcrot%253D710-134428-41853-0%2526rvr_id%253D1121973020375

m.luckyvitamin.com/p-706265-cultures-for-health-paneer-queso-blanco-cheese-making-kit?loc=GB&locale=en-gb&utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=fpl&utm_campaign=googlebase_GB&scid=scplp8372832&gclid=CJuT6qWOn9ACFRAz0wodCvgPjw

[kastiekastie]

how about a hachoir and board set - I got one for my brother a couple of years ago as he loves cooking fresh and spicy! or a mortar and pestle, even just a really nice chopping board or bowl if she likes to cook?

[MoneyPit2016]

You could try world of books (through their own website or amazon) for some rare or out of print Indian cookbooks. Picked up some for my (head chef!) brother last Xmas and he loved them.

[frazzled74]

I think this sounds great, I would like it. Can you tell me where you saw it?

[PiecesOfCake]

I like the spoons idea. They look very classy and useful.

[wilton]

What about the rolling Base and rolling pin for making chapatis etc.

theasiancookshop.co.uk/ekmps/shops/asiancookshop/images/set-chapati-chakla-board-indian-style-rolling-pin-3419-p.png

[Marymoosmum14]

I think that sounds lovely. You have put thought into it and it is something she would like.

[sashh]

Sorry but although I think it is a lovely idea it will probably duplicate what she has.

I've sent spices to my brother as a gift, he lives in Cornwall and can't get them, I live in Wolverhampton and have a choice of places to buy Indian spices/foods.

I can get a huge (think old fashioned sweet shop sized) jar of mango chutney for £5. I can also buy cheep paneer and mangoes come in boxes of 4/5.

The same with the spice tin linked, they are about £3-£4.

Do you know what part of India her husband is from? A cookery book form a different region and spices from a different region might be nice.

Sorry to be the voice of dissent.

[BarbaraofSeville]

I also don't think any of the ridiculously expensive spice kits or Indian cooking equipment ideas are any good either sassh, but apparently We Are Wrong.

She has been interested in Indian cooking for a long time, which means that she will probably already have everything she is interested in - paneer making kits, chapati plate and roller etc.

They regularly travel to India and probably buy saffron there, at a fraction of the UK price. I buy mine in Spain, when on holiday there. If someone bought me it as a gift, I would be .

[taraqei]

Please just get a book or nice smellies. At least she can regift it if she needs to.

[LancashireTea]

If she is a massive tea fan then check out Bluebird tea. tea
They do nice ranges of unusual blends.

[Laurie1983]

My friends got me a spice box subscription for 3 months and it was great. I love cooking and spicy food so it was tje perfect present. Each month you get a box with lots of different spices and a recipe card. It was brilliant. Really different and some things I'd never even heard of never might tried. I think is 20quid so slightly over budget but I think it would be a great secret santa x

[Richardhun]

Quality tea or coffee are great gifts or special olive oil, I love good olive oil.

[Samanthacl]

Sorry if this has already been suggested...

How about a cookery/recipe book that you fill in yourself? so you can keep all your favorites in one place, pass down to family etc. Also good if she's experimental and makes her own recipes. I've put this on my gift lit with hubby as I also love to bake/cook. Lots around but something like this; www.amazon.co.uk/Make-Your-Own-Cookbook-Something/dp/1518682642/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1479068899&sr=8-2&keywords=own%20cookbook&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[iMogster]

Getting the spices is a good idea. It shows you've thought about her and it's not a generic gift.
It doesn't matter if she has spices already as they get used up and need replacing. It's not like getting a mixing bowl and she already has one.

[Perola]

This is why I hate secret Santa type schemes. I'm afraid that I am hard to please and lacking ideas for others too.
I'm happier if I can opt out.

[LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett]

I'm a very good cook. I got a spicery subscription for DH because he is not a good cook - while the recipes are different and unusual, they don't appeal to me as a cook. Why not get a really lovely blank recipe book or journal so she can write down some of her favourite recipes from her travels?

[LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett]

Oh, or you said she only drinks champagne? Tesco have little mini bottles of Lanson in Santa jackets which would be a fun secret Santa gift?

[Halfling]

Don't buy her Indian spices and kitchen equipments. She'll most probably already have all of it. As someone who cooks Indian food regularly, I stock all the spices from Asian grocery stores and don't like the idea of expensive spice kits with very small quantities of the actual spices. Buy her something perishable like chocolate or recipe notebooks (Paperchase do really nice ones).

[Elledouble]

Jesus, it's Secret Santa, not an offering to the gods!

I think the spices sound a lovely thought, and something she might have a chance of using. Much better than horrible smellies or chocolates. Maybe it's the caliber of Secret Santas I've participated in, but she's lucky not to get something 'hilarious' from a sex shop. It's supposed to be a bit of fun, surely?

[Elledouble]

That said, a beautiful recipe binder is a nice idea.

[YuckYuckEwwww]

Don't get the spices! Many spices sold to the general public are gone off, someone who is really into their spices will be getting fresh ones from a good asian food store.

How about making her some spiced marmalade? Or homemade mince meat. Homemade spiced nuts?

I go for homemade when it comes to people who will have a nicer (more expensive) version of whatever I would buy them.

[goodbeans]

I always love being given a plant (and generally think that you can't go wrong in giving one). Could you get her a kaffir lime plant, then she could use the leaves for cooking?