Garam Masala from Diaspora Co.

Garam Masala is a warm, earthy and zesty combination of spices that serve as the foundation for countless South Asian dishes. Every family’s version is different and after rigorous recipe testing, spice company Diaspora Co. developed their own house blend. The result is a fragrant and balanced combination of 12 single-origin spices sourced from small, family-run regenerative farms across India and Sri Lanka: Jodhana Cumin, Hariyali Fennel, Nandini Coriander, Aranya Black Pepper, Wild Cinnamon Quills, Anamalai Mace, Anamalai Nutmeg, Black Cardamom, Himalayan Tejpatta, Green Cardamom, Makhir Ginger and Kandyan Cloves.

How to use

There are endless ways to put Diaspora Co. Garam Masala to work. Use it as the base for saag (stewed leafy greens), dal (stewed lentils), aloo gobi (cauliflower and potatoes), and a variety of other Indian and South Asian recipes. Packed with flavor, it’s also a handy, ready-to-use dry rub for roasted meats and vegetables or simply sprinkled over scrambled eggs.

About the producer

Sana Javeri Kadri, founder of Diaspora Co., is changing the way the supply chain works in the spice industry. Her goal is to put money, equity and power back into the hands of the farmers by cutting out the middle man and decolonizing the commodity spice trading system.

Sana grew up in Mumbai, India and moved to America to attend college. After graduating, she began working as the marketing manager for a grocery store in the San Francisco Bay Area. During her time there she realized that the sourcing of particular products, like chocolate and coffee, was becoming more and more transparent to retailers and customers, but that was still not the case with spices. This fueled Sana's desire to bring the spices she grew up with to the American market and create a better, more equitable spice trade model focused on flavor, sustainability, heirloom seeds and empowering farmers.

Sana started her journey with a five-month trip to India, where she learned about the spice industry and begin working with the Indian Institute of Spice Research (a non-profit agricultural research facility that works with farmers to promote sustainable and profitable spice production). Through this institute, she began learning about turmeric cultivation and was also introduced to farmers growing heirloom varietals of the spice. She returned to Oakland and after much hard work launched her first spice stateside: Pragati Single-Origin Heirloom Turmeric.