Tirphal (teppal)

Flavour and aroma

citrus peel, woody, slightly bitter, tingling. Woody and bitter-citrus, with a mild tingle on the tongue.

Heat

Very mild

Forms

whole

How to use it

• crush · Dry grinding technique

  Remove and discard the black seeds, which are bitter and gritty. Lightly crush the husks.

• soak

  Soak 4–6 crushed husks in a few tablespoons of water for 10–15 minutes, then add the husks and water to the curry once the coconut masala is simmering. Some cooks grind them with the coconut instead.

• Coconut fish curries (Konkani, Goan, Mangalorean)
• Dal and bean curries in Konkan homes
• Some Malvani masalas

Identifying good quality

Dried brown fruit husks about 5 mm across, split open, often with a shiny black seed inside. The husk should smell strongly of citrus and resin.

• Not to be confused with Sichuan peppercorns: Same genus; Sichuan pepper is more numbing and less citrusy.
• Not to be confused with Black peppercorns: Black pepper is a whole, wrinkled berry, not an open husk.

Origin and history

Origin: The Western Ghats and coastal India, and parts of South-East Asia.. Grown and used: Collected mainly in the Konkan: coastal Maharashtra, Goa and coastal Karnataka..

Tirphal (teppal) is a signature spice of Konkani, Goan Saraswat and Malvani cooking, used in coconut fish curries and some dals. It is little known outside the Konkan coast. It is a relative of Sichuan pepper, not of black pepper.

Commonly told; not firmly documented