Premium dry fruits are the top lots of each kind: larger, more even, fresher and cleaner than the everyday grade. What that means changes from one dry fruit to the next, so a premium badam is judged differently from a premium anjeer.
These are the grades we keep at the top of our shelf, what makes each one premium, and how you can check quality for yourself when a bag arrives.
Best quality badam: Mamra
Most almonds sold in India are the smooth, pale, even kind. Mamra Badam Jumbo is a different almond: smaller, darker, curved like a boat and deeply wrinkled, with more oil in the kernel. Bite one and it tastes richer and sweeter than a regular badam.
Mamra is scarcer than the regular almond, which is why it costs more. The Jumbo grade is simply the larger, more even Mamra. If you are unsure which almond you need, our guide to Mamra or Californian almonds sets the two side by side.
How to judge it: the kernel should be whole, dry to the touch and snap cleanly. A bitter or sharp taste means the oil has gone stale.
Best quality kaju: Super and Jumbo
Whole cashews are graded by size. Super Cashew and Jumbo Cashew (Kaju) are our largest whole kernels, the ones to put out for guests or pack in a gift.
Size does not change the taste, only the look. For cooking, a broken grade does the same job, which our kaju grades guide explains.
How to judge it: even, pale ivory colour, a clean snap, very little powder at the bottom of the bag, and a faint sweet smell.
Pista, akhrot and anjeer
Pista kernels
Pista Kernels are shelled pistachios. A premium lot is a clear green with a thin purple-brown skin, whole rather than split, and firm. Dull, yellowish kernels are older.
Walnut kernels
Walnut Kernels Two Pieces are whole halves, which is the grade people give and serve. Colour is the thing to watch in akhrot: light golden halves taste mild and sweet, while dark ones are older or from a lower lot and taste bitter. Walnut goes rancid faster than most nuts, so smell it every time.
Anjeer
Jumbo Anjeer is the large, soft dried fig. The best quality anjeer is plump, pale to light brown, soft enough to bend, and full of small seeds when you tear it. A thin white bloom on the skin is usually natural sugar. Hard, very dark or sour-smelling figs are past their best.
Medjool dates and Abjosh munakka
Medjool Dates are the large, soft premium date, with a thin skin and a taste close to caramel. A good one is glossy, slightly tacky and soft right through.
Munakka Dakh Jumbo (Abjosh) is our largest munakka: big, fleshy and meaty compared with an ordinary kishmish. Look for plump, evenly coloured raisins that separate easily rather than a single sticky block.
How to judge any dry fruit by eye, smell and texture
- Eye. Colour should be even across the bag. A few odd pieces are normal. Lots of broken bits, dust or mixed sizes mean a lower lot or heavy handling.
- Smell. Fresh nuts smell of very little. Anything sharp, paint-like or soapy is rancid oil. Dried fruit should smell sweet, never sour or fermented.
- Texture. Nuts should snap, not bend. Dried fruit should be soft and yielding, not wet and not rock hard.
- Taste one. The fastest test of all. Bitterness in a nut is never a good sign.
Buying premium dry fruits online
Everything on our dry fruits shelf is weighed to order, so a small pack of two grades lets you compare before you commit. Orders start at ₹1,500, every order ships free, and delivery across India takes a few days. For a gift, our dry fruit gift box page shows how to put the top grades together.
Questions people ask
Which almond is the best quality?
For richness and taste, Mamra is the almond most people consider the best. For daily soaking and cooking, a good regular badam does the job well.
Does a bigger cashew taste better?
No. Super and Jumbo cashews look better, but a smaller or broken kernel from the same lot tastes the same.
How do I know anjeer is good quality?
It should be plump, soft, evenly light in colour and smell sweet. Avoid figs that are very hard, very dark or smell sour.
Why are some walnuts bitter?
Bitterness comes from dark skins and from oil that has started to go stale. Light-coloured, fresh halves kept cool taste mild.
How should premium dry fruits be stored?
In airtight jars, somewhere cool and dark. Walnuts, pista and soft fruit like anjeer and Medjool keep longer in the fridge in hot weather.