Resins and other aromatics
Kalpasi (stone flower)
Parmotrema perlatum and related lichens
A dried lichen that smells of little until heated; adds a woody, earthy depth to Chettinad and Maharashtrian masalas.
Also called: stone flower, black stone flower, dagad phool, dagad phul, pathar ke phool, kallu hoovu, patthar phool
Around the world: கல்பாசி (ta) · दगडफूल (mr) · पत्थर के फूल (hi)
- Earthy
- Smoky & roasted
- Resinous & piney
- No heat
Flavour and aroma
earthy, woody, smoky, musky.
- Heat
- No heat
- Forms
- whole
How to use it
fry · Tadka (tempering) technique
Fry a small pinch (about 1 g) in hot oil for 10–20 seconds, until it releases its aroma, at the start of a Chettinad curry.
dry roast · Spice roasting (dry-roasting) technique
For masala powders, roast with the whole spices over low heat for 1 minute, then grind; it releases its aroma only when heated.
- Chettinad masalas and curries
- Goda masala and Malvani masala
- Hyderabadi biryani and potli masala
Identifying good quality
Light, crinkly, papery flakes, grey-green or greyish-white on top and black underneath. Raw it smells faintly of earth. Look for clean flakes with little bark or grit.
Origin and history
Origin: Lichens of rocks and tree bark in India's hill forests; Parmotrema species occur worldwide.. Grown and used: Collected in the Western and Eastern Ghats and the Himalaya; used mainly in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Hyderabad..
Kalpasi (stone flower, dagad phool) is a dried lichen used as a spice in Chettinad masalas, Maharashtrian goda and Malvani masalas and Hyderabadi biryani blends. It is among the few lichens used as a spice anywhere.
Commonly told; not firmly documented
Recipes with kalpasi (stone flower)
No recipes use it yet.