At the Sai Anantam ashram founded by Alice Coltrane in the hills of Agoura, California, there is no separation of starter, main course, and dessert: several small vegetarian dishes prepared collectively are arranged together on a single leaf or a shared plate. The sattvic meal (from the Sanskrit *sattva*, purity, clarity) bans meat, fish, and eggs, and favors mild, fresh, and calming foods for the mind. The food, first offered to the divine and then shared, becomes *prasadam*: a blessed food, eaten in silence or to the sound of kirtans.

Ghee (clarified butter) and mild spices like cardamom, saffron, and cinnamon perfume the ashram's cooking. Garlic and onion, on the other hand, are avoided, as they are considered too stimulating (rajasic) in the Vedantic tradition that Alice Coltrane followed. This mild and fragrant palette defines a cuisine conceived as an extension of meditation and music.