Pepper, Indian Long

The Indian Long pepper (aka pippali, Bengal Pepper), is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. Long pepper has a taste similar to, but hotter than, that of its close relative Piper nigrum - from which black, green and white pepper are obtained.

Today, long pepper is a very rare ingredient in European cuisines, but typical here and a feature in North African spice mixtures and in Indonesian and Malaysian cooking. It is the main spice of Nihari, a dish which is one of the national dishes of Pakistan and Indian metropolis of Lucknow.

• sold as 1/4, 1/2 & 3/4 cup amounts.
• packaged in a small ziplock