From Goan Recheado to Moroccan Tahini, this husband-wife team brings you the world on a platter

The husband-wife team of Tulsi Khemka and Nitesh Agrawal.

Stepping out of the car, I hitched up my skirt and made a dash for the shop. It was raining hard in the sun and sand destination of Goa and I had a flight to catch. But I suddenly discovered I could sprint like Usain Bolt and fly like Sergey Bubka.

Why? It was a spice shop and inside was heaven. Racks and racks of those famed Goan spices and pastes – hot red Recheado to stuff into mackerel, sour Ambotik to smear on prawns, coconut milk-flavored Cafreal to enliven the chicken…

A few months down the line, I realize I could have spared myself the trouble.

There in my computer sits an online store with a collection of over 550 spices and seasonings from all over the world. Spicesafari is owned and managed by husband-wife duo Nitesh Agrawal and Tulsi Khemka, and co-founder Rahul Majithia.

The startup operates from a little office in Bangalore and delivers spices to over 200 countries.

“We address the problem of lack of choice and variety by sourcing unique products from different parts of the world, creating the spice experience through recipes, spice kits, combinations, and culinary tips,” Tulsi tells Tech in Asia

Photo credit: Spicesafari.

‘Different parts of the world’ means branded spices from the UK, the US, Africa, Thailand, Italy, Egypt, the Middle East, besides India, of course.

From Jamie Oliver’s Pesto Sauce to Al Fez’s Tahini Dressing to Kikkoman’s Teriyaki Marinade, you are likely to find well-known kitchen condiments in there. There’s something in it for organic food enthusiasts and tea lovers too.

The mistress of spices

Tulsi is a chartered accountant by training and used to work with Target Audit. She quit her job after she conceived as it was a high-risk pregnancy.

“I was freelancing post that, but wanted to do something new. I did some research on the spice industry, food patterns etc and realized that the problem I was facing – not getting all the ingredients and authentic spices – was true for others too. Most people would make do with alternatives, compromising on flavours or source them with great difficulty,” she says.

That’s true. Many of my friends prefer to buy whole spices like turmeric, coriander, fenugreek, and pepper and grind them at home because readymade powdered packs from local stores can be completely tasteless.

A fistful of flavor

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