Badam is priced on variety first and size second. Californian almonds are the flat, even ones most of us grew up on, Gurbandi is smaller and oilier, and Mamra is the costliest of the three. Count per kilo, crop supply and the rupee all pull the figure about. Today’s rate is in the panel below.
What changes the price of badam?
Variety does most of the work. Californian almonds are grown at scale and priced accordingly. Gurbandi arrives in far smaller quantities. Mamra sits at the top of the board on its own. After variety comes size, sorted over screens and then counted, so the bigger the kernel the higher the rate within the same variety.
After that come the things nobody at a counter controls: how the crop came in, how the rupee is sitting against the dollar, and how hard the festival and wedding season is pulling. Work done to the kernel counts as well. Blanched almonds, slivers and slices all carry the cost of the hands and the loss involved, so they never match plain whole kernels rate for rate.
Californian, Gurbandi or Mamra, which one are you buying?
Californian is the long, flat, evenly shaped almond most people picture. It peels cleanly, slices well and tastes mild and sweet. Gurbandi is short and plump with a deeper brown skin and a stronger, oilier flavour, and people who soak almonds overnight often ask for it by name. Mamra is small, curved and irregular, with the highest oil of the three and a sweetness you notice on the first kernel. It also costs a good deal more, which is why it is worth reading how the two compare before paying for either.
| Variety | Shape and size | Skin | Taste and use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Californian | Long, flat, even, largest of the three | Smooth, light brown | Mild and sweet; slicing, garnish, daily eating |
| Gurbandi | Short, plump, slightly uneven | Darker, a little rough | Oilier and stronger; soaking overnight, chikki |
| Mamra | Small, curved, irregular, pointed tip | Deep brown, wrinkled | Sweetest and oiliest; eating on its own, gifting |
| Blanched or sliced | Skin off, cut thin or slivered | None | Neutral; mithai, kheer, decorating |
How badam size is graded
Within one variety, size is the whole story. Almonds are passed over screens, sorted and then counted, and the fewer kernels it takes to fill a fixed weight, the larger they are. We keep a large sorting for gifting and for plates, and a middle sorting for the jar that lives by the kitchen. Thin, shrivelled or broken kernels come out by hand before a pack is closed, and so does the odd sharp-tasting one that turns up in every lot.
Which badam for which job?
- Soaking and peeling in the morning: Gurbandi, or Mamra if you want the best of it.
- Slices and slivers for mithai and kheer: Californian, because it cuts evenly.
- A jar for the family to pick at: a middle sorting of Californian goes furthest.
- Gifting: the largest whole Californian, or Mamra when the box has to speak for itself.
A bigger kernel is not a sweeter one. Size sets the look of a plate and little else, so if the almonds are going into a grinder, the middle sorting is the honest buy.
Where we send it
Everything is weighed and packed to order at our counter in Rajasthan. Mumbai and Surat usually land in 2-4 days, Lucknow 3-5, Bangalore 3-5 and Kolkata 4-6. Across the country, orders start at ₹1,000 and every order ships free. The badam shelf shows what is packed today, and the rest of the shop is one click away.
Questions people ask
What is the price of 1 kg badam?
It moves with the crop and the season, so there is no fixed figure to quote. The panel above carries today’s rate for each variety and pack size, and a kilo works out at roughly the pack rate for whichever one you choose.
Is Gurbandi better than Californian?
It is different rather than better. Gurbandi is oilier and tastes stronger, which suits soaking and chikki. Californian is larger and neater, which suits slicing and gifting. Plenty of homes keep both and use each for its own job.
Why do some almonds taste sharp?
Every lot throws up the occasional kernel with a sharp, unpleasant taste. It belongs to the crop rather than to storage. We take out what we find while packing, and if one slips through, spit it out and carry on.
Should badam be kept in the fridge?
Through the hot months, yes. An airtight box in the fridge holds the oil steady far better than a shelf near the stove. Let the kernels come back to room temperature before serving so the skin does not sweat.
Today’s rate for something else: Kaju · Mamra badam · Anjeer · Akhrot · Khajur · Kishmish · Makhana · Pista · Charoli
