Products and Services
Aaji’s makes tomato-based, curried lonsa (pronounced LOAN-sa). Lonsa is a condiment from coastal India that you can eat in lots of ways: with eggs and toast, on grilled chicken or fish, as a pizza sauce base, on top of pasta or thick soups, on meatloaf, as a side in a rice bowl, and many more besides!
While there are many kinds of lonsa—some not even tomato-based—Aaji’s focuses on four tomato-y types. Their original and garlic varieties are mild, and their spicy and spicy garlic varieties have moderate heat.
There’s more than a pound of tomatoes in every 8-ounce container of Aaji’s lonsa! Adapted from family matriarch Vijoo Korde’s recipe, this lonsa is versatile and flavorful; the tomatoes—always fresh, never canned—are cooked down with chili peppers, curry leaves, jaggery (an unrefined cane sugar), and a spice mix of turmeric, asafoetida, fenugreek, and black mustard seeds. It’s gluten-free and nut-free.
You might think you already know and love Indian food, but lonsa from coastal India has flavors that tend not to be represented in Indian cuisine in the US. It’s a great mix of sweet, tart, spicy, and umami flavors. For recipe ideas, go to https://aajis.com.
History
“We call our grandmother Aaji. Whether you call them Nonna, Abuela, Bubbe, Oma, Halmoni, Mom-mom—these are the matriarchs of love in the family. Our Aajis are the heart and soul of our family and the reason our brand exists.”
Aaji’s is a relatively new, Philadelphia-based company, so it’s extra exciting to get to support them—they only launched in July 2021. The co-founders, Rajus and Poorva Korde, had their second baby in March 2020. During lockdown, Ragus’ parents lovingly sent parcels of food to Philly from Michigan for several months before deciding to relocate. Not so many months later, the family was selling their lonsa at several Philadelphia farmer’s markets, and with their success were able to start stocking their products at retailers in the greater Philadelphia area including a variety of small grocers like the Co-Op and at several Whole Foods retailers.
Sustainability
Aaji’s is based out of Philadelphia, and their lonsa is made 25 miles from the Co-Op in Pennsauken, NJ. As of 2024 it is only sold in the greater Philadelphia area, making it a local product we can be loud and proud about! As always, buying locally-made products is a great way to reduce “food miles,” which substantially reduces your carbon footprint compared to consuming products grown or made overseas.
About the Author
Stephanie Bonner (she/her) graduated from Oberlin College with majors in Biology and English and a minor in Environmental Studies, with significant research experience in insects, particularly native bees. She completed a permaculture design course and worked for a range of companies including a nonprofit permaculture demonstration site, an organic vegetable CSA and wholesale farm as the CSA manager, and she has extensive experience as an editor and project manager in academic publishing. Stephanie is committed to sustainability, particularly regarding energy, transportation, waste, and agriculture.
