Butter (and spices) in their Purest Form
Our tagline – Butter in its Purest Form™ – carries over to every ingredient we use to flavor our ghee. Whether it's Kashmiri chili with its notable flavor profiles or lemons with the brightest possible notes, we always source the best we possibly can.
Our name, Ahara Rasa, is a Sanskrit term meaning “the essence of food.” This refers to the subtle energies extracted from the food we eat.
Adhering to our foundational principles means we take a holistic approach to crafting nourishing, small batch ghee. Our butter is sourced with this in mind, and that’s why we choose pasture-raised, grass-fed butter sourced as locally as possible.
We apply those same principles when sourcing every ingredient, herb, and spice. For every Ahara Rasa product we create, we strive to deliver the highest quality possible to our customers. It’s in line with our guiding principles — intention is steeped into every part of our process.
Here are several priorities we look for in all of our ingredients.
Freshness
Using the freshest possible ingredients means their flavors remain at their peak as they cook into the ghee. While dried herbs and spices never really go bad, they can lose their flavor over time. This happens largely due to oxidation, or exposure to air. Spices stored in a cool and dry environment tend to retain their freshness longer than those exposed to moisture, air, or sunlight.
When we shop for ingredients for our spice blends and flavored ghees, we look at how quickly they go from harvest to sale, how they are stored, and how well they were sealed before we purchase them.
Ripeness
Most plant-based food tastes best when harvested at its peak. Just like a tomato that ripens in the sun on the vine results in a much more flavorful experience than one that ripens on a grocery store shelf, our ghee tastes better when flavored with ingredients picked at their prime and in their peak season.
This applies to dried spices as well as fresh ingredients. Though dried spices are seldom thought of as ripe, the flavors and aromas are amplified when they are harvested at their optimal ripeness. When fully-ripe spices are dried, the flavor is more pure and potent than if they were harvested too early or too late.
Quality
Each ingredient in Ahara Rasa products is carefully evaluated for quality. While organically-grown produce, herbs, and spices are always our preference, certified-organic products may not always be available. For example, it can be challenging to find organic lemons during Winter in the Pacific Northwest. Rather than skipping our Lemon & Garlic ghee, we look for local, small producers that offer the highest quality lemons we can get our hands on.
Flavor
Several of our products are crafted with very specific flavor combinations. Shifting one type of pepper for another may result in a lower cost, but if it alters the flavor of the product, it’s not going to bring consistency nor the same depth of flavor.
We’re committed to bringing our customers the best flavor combinations, and that can only be done with certain ingredients. Ahara Rasa’s Chili ghee, for example, contains whole Kashmiri chilis and Arbol chilis. Replacing either one of them with a jalapeño could bring a cheaper pepper to the mix, but the flavor profile would lack the richness, depth, and the gorgeous red color the Kashmiri chili is known for.
Local Sourcing
The closer to home we can get, we will – without sacrificing quality. We consider sustainability in everything we do, and the shorter distance an ingredient has to travel to reach us, the better. Ahara Rasa is based in the beautiful, albeit chilly, PNW, and not everything we need can be grown close to home.
Ingredients from happy plants will exude better flavors than those forced to grow in environments foreign to them. For ingredients that grow better in warmer climates, we aim to source from the locations in which they thrive. Some of the herbs and spices in our popular Fancy Niter Kibbeh ghee originate in Ethiopia, including koseret and black seed. When they are available (and can be shipped without being barred by tariffs), our goal is to bring these spices from their traditional growing region.
Aligned Ethics
When sourcing our spices, we take a holistic approach. Taste is always a top priority, but ethics are also carefully weighed. How was it grown? How was it harvested? What fertilizers or pesticides were used? Looking at the process as a whole, not just the end result, helps guide our decisions when choosing Ahara Rasa ingredients.
Responsible, regenerative agriculture is better for the earth and the people and animals who live on it. We’re proud to work with producers who align with our guiding principles to deliver a product our customers can feel good about purchasing.
No Adulteration
Sometimes, what isn’t in a spice is just as important as what is. Some spices have been found to contain artificial flavors or colors, blended with cheaper ingredients, bulked with fillers, or contaminated with heavy metals.
Our goal is to make sure none of that is passed along to Ahara Rasa customers. The ingredients we use only come from reliable brands and suppliers that offer the real thing — and only the real thing — without any foreign additives. No one wants those in their food.
Ahara Rasa HEAT
Ahara Rasa’s HEAT spice blend is first in a line of several flavorful blends crafted to compliment some of our most popular ghee flavors. Similar to our grass-fed Chili ghee, the HEAT spice blend combines Kashmiri chilis with fresh warming spices like garlic, coriander, and cumin for a complex yet balanced flavor profile.
Like ghee, these spices are fundamental to a variety of Indian dishes, but the culinary possibilities extend far beyond curries and stews. Season grilled chicken, sprinkle over warm popcorn, or add a pinch to roasted vegetables and taste why great spices can make a big difference in your kitchen.
Butter in its Purest Form™