Karumilaku (black pepper)

Karumilaku (கருமிளகு) is Tamil for black pepper – the whole dried berry of Piper nigrum, also called kurumilagu or milagu. Pepper is native to the Western Ghats and the Malabar coast, so it is not an import in South Indian cooking: it is the original heat, long before chillies arrived.

Where ours comes from

Our pepper comes from Gudalur in the Nilgiris, where it grows on vines in the lower reaches. The berries are dried whole and unsulphured – they should be black and wrinkled, and heavy for their size. A light, hollow peppercorn has been harvested early.

How it is used in South Indian cooking

• In rasam and milagu kuzhambu – freshly ground with cumin, where pepper rather than chilli carries the heat.
• In Chettinad masalas – roasted and ground with coriander and fennel.
• In biryani – whole, in the oil with the other spices.
• In pepper rasam for a cold – the traditional South Indian answer, with turmeric and curry leaves.
• On the table – ground fresh over eggs, dosa and fried snacks.

Storing it

Whole peppercorns keep their bite for years in an airtight jar away from light. Ground pepper loses it within months, so grind as you cook – a small hand mill earns its place in any South Indian kitchen.

Buying and cooking

See pack sizes and prices, and the recipe for Milagu kuzhambu.