Sana Javeri Kadri, founder of Diaspora Spice Co and co-author of the new Diaspora Spice Co Cookbook, shared insights into her cooking habits, favorite kitchen tools, and how she uses spices to enhance everyday meals. Known for building a transparent spice supply chain and offering fresher spices in the US market, Javeri Kadri now aims to help home cooks use spices more intuitively through her cookbook.
Why this matters
Many people overlook or feel intimidated by their spice cabinets, missing out on the full potential of spices in cooking. Javeri Kadri’s approach encourages cooks to actively toast, roast, simmer, and sizzle spices rather than using them raw, unlocking deeper flavors and more enjoyable meals. Her guidance also challenges misconceptions about South Asian cuisine, making it more accessible and appealing.
Key developments
- Spice use philosophy: Javeri Kadri emphasizes never using raw spices directly. Instead, spices should be cooked to release their full flavor.
- Cooking with toddlers: She adapts her cooking for her two young children, using versatile spice blends like her Everything Grill seasoning and a popular popcorn seasoning that combines masala, dried mango powder, nutritional yeast, garlic, and turmeric.
- Essential kitchen tools: Javeri Kadri highlighted 19 essential tools, including a metal pepper mill for efficient grinding, a heavy mortar and pestle for crushing spices, and a trusted rice cooker used daily for nutritious meals.
- Favorite cookware: She primarily cooks with a Lodge cast iron pan and a Made In Dutch oven, which she uses for soups, stews, and curries.
- Rice obsession: Javeri Kadri brings back large quantities of Indian rice regularly and uses her rice cooker to prepare dishes like congee and kitchari, often cooking rice in homemade bone broth for added nutrition.
- Trusted brands and products: She prefers Seka Hills Olive Oil, Song Tea’s Shan Lin Xi Winter Sprout Oolong, and a John Boos walnut cutting board that preserves knife sharpness.
- Cookbook inspirations: Her favorite cookbooks include Meera Sodha’s Fresh India, Hedy McKinnon’s Tenderheart, Rancho Gordo’s pozole book, Cynthia Shanmugalingam’s Rambutan, and Dishoom’s cookbook.
Javeri Kadri’s approach to spices and tools
Javeri Kadri stresses the importance of quality tools in the kitchen to maximize flavor and ease of cooking. She advises investing in a metal grinding mechanism pepper mill, which preserves the oils and flavor of pepper better than plastic or ceramic alternatives. Her heavy mortar and pestle is a versatile tool for crushing spices and making guacamole.
She also values cookware that conducts heat well and is durable, such as cast iron and Dutch ovens. Her rice cooker is a staple for daily meals, used not only for rice but also for dishes like congee and kitchari.
Her spice blends, like the Everything Grill seasoning and popcorn seasoning, reflect her goal of making spices approachable and delicious for families, including toddlers.
Background
Javeri Kadri founded Diaspora Spice Co about a decade ago to improve transparency in the spice supply chain and provide fresher spices to American consumers. Her cookbook, released in March, draws on extensive research and travel in India, where she and co-author Asha Loupy interviewed spice farmers and learned traditional cooking methods.
Her work aims to dispel myths about South Asian food being complicated or heavy, instead highlighting its vibrant, accessible flavors.
Recommended reading
For more context, see related Peack News coverage and explainers linked below.
