All Of It – "Seasonal Home Cooking from South Asia's Best Spice Farms"

Podcast: All Of It with Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Guests: Sana Javiri Kadri (Founder, Diaspora Spice Company), Asha Lupi (Food Writer & Recipe Developer)
Date: February 27, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode dives into seasonal home cooking with spices from South Asia’s best regenerative farms, spotlighting the new Diaspora Spice Company Cookbook: Seasonal Home Cooking from South Asia's Best Spice Farms. Host Alison Stewart talks with authors Sana Javiri Kadri and Asha Lupi about the cultural, economic, and culinary significance of spices, sustainable farming, and accessible, flavor-rich cooking. The discussion weaves in personal stories, practical cooking advice, and memorable recipes rooted in the regions and families where these spices originate.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Mission Behind Diaspora Spice Company

• Sana Javiri Kadri founded Diaspora Spice Company at age 23 to disrupt the spice industry "with culture, equity, and joy" ([01:00]).
• Impact:
  • Over $3 million paid directly to 140 regenerative farmers in India and Sri Lanka.
  • Average South Asian farmer’s annual income improved from ~$2,000 to ~$26,000 with their model ([01:16]).
  • "So, you know, it's a casual 16x the commodity or like what they would usually get." – Sana ([01:34]).

Why a Cookbook?

• Historically, those writing about spices have largely been colonizers; this book aims to share recipes and stories from the actual growers and their families ([01:42]):
  • "I want you to leave this book knowing what a pepper farmer who grows pepper in the hills of Kerala...what do him and his family cook with it?" – Sana ([01:53]).

The Power of Fresh Spices

• Common Mistake: Most people use grocery store spices that are old and flavorless.
• Solution: Spices should be used fresh, directly sourced whenever possible for true potency. Cutting out middlemen helps maintain quality ([02:29]).
  • "What people are tasting is dusty and not as potent as the spices that you’re getting from these amazing farmers." – Asha ([02:30]).

Cooking with Spices: Essential Techniques

Freshness, Fat, and Heat

• Fat and Heat: The key to unlocking spice flavors.
  • "When it comes to spices, fat is flavor." – Sana ([03:20]).
  • Spices should be bloomed in a variety of fats (olive oil, ghee, sesame oils). The process “wakes up” the spices.
  • "Think of the spice as something that needs to wake up, and you need to kind of shake it up." – Sana ([03:20]).

Layering Spices

• In South Asia, spices are often layered in a dish multiple times for complexity, but the book simplifies for accessibility.
  • First, bloom spices in fat at the start of a dish; later, finish with spices bloomed separately and poured over for brightness and layered flavor ([04:10]).
  • "You’re just getting kind of everything that spice is from the start...to the end." – Asha ([04:10]).

The Harvest Season and Regional Nuances

• Sana visits farms across India and Sri Lanka during harvest season each year, experiencing vast differences—from Kerala’s lush rainforests to Manipur’s dry hills ([05:51]).
  • "The magic of harvest season is that it's so different every year, and it's so different region to region." – Sana ([05:54]).

Recipe Selection Process

• Over four months, the authors gathered and vetted 170 recipes, narrowing down to 85 for the book ([07:04]).
• Recipes represent a blend of authenticity and practicality—ingredients must be accessible in the U.S. ([07:04]).

Memorable Recipes & Stories

Sri Lankan Fish Puffs ([08:04])

• Inspired by a classic bakery (est. 1902) beloved across Sri Lanka.
• A mixture of tuna, potatoes, and spices wrapped in flaky pastry—adapted for home cooks using frozen puff pastry and canned tuna.
  • "You have a very, like, elaborate, sexy dish with very little effort." – Sana ([09:14]).

The Magic of Curry Leaves

• Fish puffs require 24 fresh curry leaves—a flavor powerhouse.
  • "In my mind, you can never have too many curry leaves. It's like... measure curry leaves with my heart." – Asha ([09:26]).
• Pro tip for first-timers: Stand back when frying, as curry leaves sputter due to high water content ([10:16]).

The Great Chicken Curry Debate ([10:36])

• Country Chicken Curry: The only chicken recipe in the book resulted from spirited debate.
  • "Every cookbook needs a chicken recipe, and Sana does not like chicken." – Asha ([10:48]).
  • Blends techniques learned across regions into a “Diaspora Spice Company” signature curry.
  • "She won the duel because, like, I ate it all." – Sana ([11:34]).

Dud Al Dip: Pumpkin, Yogurt & Walnut Dip ([11:47])

• Inspired by a Kashmiri autumn chutney, evolved with a sizzled chili oil topping.
• "It's so party ready and sexy and seasonal. It's excellent." – Sana ([11:47]).

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On displacing colonizer narratives:
  "I really thought that it was time that the people who grow these ingredients...should share what they do with it." – Sana ([01:42])

• On freshness:
  "People are using old spices...so what people are tasting is dusty and not as potent." – Asha ([02:30])

• On spice technique:
  "When it comes to spices, fat is flavor." – Sana ([03:20])

• On curry leaves:
  "They are delicious, and they're worth the effort. But they are angry to start." – Sana ([10:34])

• On collaboration:
  "Like a family does, came up with our own country chicken curry." – Asha ([10:58])

Timestamps of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Event | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | 00:09 | Episode intro and guest introductions | | 01:00 | Sana describes founding the company and its purpose | | 01:16 | Discussion of impact on farmers’ livelihoods | | 01:42 | Why write a cookbook now? Decolonizing spice narratives | | 02:30 | Why spices taste bland in American kitchens | | 03:09 | How fat and heat unlock spice flavors | | 04:10 | Layering spices in recipes | | 05:51 | Harvest seasons: regional & annual variations | | 07:04 | Recipe selection: narrowing 170 to 85 recipes | | 08:04 | The story behind Sri Lankan fish puffs | | 09:26 | The "never too many curry leaves" philosophy | | 10:16 | Cooking safely with curry leaves | | 10:36 | The chicken curry disagreement and final recipe | | 11:47 | Sana’s top pick: Dud Al (Pumpkin) Dip | | 12:12 | Closing and book event information |

Episode Tone & Style

The dialogue is lively, warm, and a blend of practical and poetic. Both guests share expertise with palpable joy, making cultural cuisine approachable while grounding their conversation in the lived realities of South Asian farmers. The episode is studded with laughter, kitchen wisdom, and a sense of shared purpose.

For Listeners Who Haven’t Tuned In

Expect to come away enlightened on the stories behind the spices in your pantry, inspired to source and cook with them more thoughtfully, and equipped with concrete tips (plus a craving for curry leaves and pumpkin dip). The Diaspora Spice Company Cookbook is both a tribute to growers and a toolkit for home cooks who want to honor spice origins by cooking boldly, seasonally, and with new layers of flavor.