Satya Spices: Small is Beautiful
Until recently, I bought all my daily cooking masalas from India. My dad’s sister’s family manufactures and distributes spices and the quality, aroma, and authenticity of her Indian-grown spices are unmatched and deeply connected to my way of cooking. The masalas are full of flavor, the kind I never find in the U.S. However, I notice that buying spices in bulk and storing them indefinitely outlives their prime, stripping them of the very oils that make them flavorful. Small batch spices, on the other hand, are a completely different experience. When spices are freshly ground and minimally processed, their essential oils are preserved, and their aromas—intoxicating, nuanced, deeply layered—come alive in your cooking. You use less but taste more.
For the Indian diaspora, food is more than nourishment—it is memory, identity, and often the most tangible connection we have to our roots. But we also straddle worlds. We seek the flavor of our childhood kitchens, but we want to cook with consciousness, with quality, and without compromise. Satya Spices is that bridge between tradition and modernity, between amma’s masala dabba and our Instagrammable dinner plates. It invites us to cook with both heritage and curiosity.
The mother-daughter duo behind Satya Spices, Anita Lulla and Rama Ginde, are chefs, spice lovers and second-generation South Asians tired of cooking with flat, lifeless blends. Satya was born out of a desire to return to something real. “To honor our heritage, yes—but also to bring freshness, transparency, and intention back into our kitchens,” explains Ginde.
The power of fresh spices
Satya means “truth” in Sanskrit, and this brand lives up to its name. A pinch of Satya’s garam masala carries the complexity of ten ingredients working in perfect harmony. Their Kashmiri chili powder adds color and depth, not just heat. Even the humble dhania tastes newly discovered. This isn’t a company built on nostalgia alone—it’s a modern, thoughtful reimagining of how we interact with spices. The Satya team sources directly from small, sustainable farms across South Asia and other spice-growing regions, carefully selecting single-origin spices and blending them in small batches. That means no anonymous warehouses, no middlemen, and no mass production. Just real ingredients, fresh off the farm and ground to order.
Opening a jar of Satya Spices has become a small ritual in my kitchen. The jars are beautiful and look so pretty on my counter. When I open Sati’s Masala Peti, I feel more present, more rooted. It reminds me that cooking isn’t just about feeding myself—it’s about flavor, memory, care. We often talk about going “back to our roots.” But sometimes, all it takes is a spoonful of the right spice to get there.
“They say that food is the greatest testament to love – never dying, never unrequited. These curated sets aren’t just spices— they’re an invitation to explore, create, and experience Indian-inspired flavors,” adds Ginde as she shares some of her and her mother’s signature recipes.
Indian Style Corn & Tomato Fried Rice
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 cups basmati rice, cooked
½ cup roasted corn
2 tbsp. Olive oil
1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp. ginger
1 tbsp. garlic
1 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp. Everything blend
Salt and Pepper to taste
Method
1. In a large sauté pan, add oil to the pan on medium heat.
2. Add rice, ginger, garlic and Everything Indian blend. Sauté for 3 minutes without mixing it too much.
3. Add tomatoes and corn. Stir Fry for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Garnish with cilantro.
Curried Chicken Salad
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 cup chicken, shredded or chopped
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp. lemon juice
¼ cup celery, chopped
2 tbsp. Curry Kamaal blend
1 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp. dill, chopped
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Method
1. In a bowl, mix all ingredients really well.
2. Enjoy in a sandwich or on top of a salad.
Creamy Tikka Masala Linguine
Serves 2
Ingredients
2 oz linguine
1/2 cup heavy cream or unsweetened coconut cream
2 tbsp. marinara sauce (we used Rao’s)
2 tbsp. Tikka blend
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1/4 cup peas
1 tbsp. cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp. olive oil
Method
1. Cook pasta according to package directions and drain pasta well.
2. In a medium saucepan, melt butter and garlic. Sprinkle in tikka masala blend, marinara sauce and cream. Cook for 3 minutes.
3. Add pasta and peas and cook for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Garnish with peas.
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