Stem pepper

THE WOODY STEMS OF CHUI OOZE FIERY FLAVOURS

- VIBHA VARSHNEY

IT IS a spice chef Anumitra Ghosh Dastidar values for the layer of flavour it adds to her creations. Chui or Piper chaba grows profusely in West Bengal and Bangladesh and belongs to the same genus as the historically and economically important Piper nigrum or black pepper. However, unlike black pepper—where the dried fruit is used—in the case of chui, the stems and roots impart the flavour.

“Relatives from Bangladesh used to get this spice for us when I was a child and it was used in mutton preparations,” says Dastidar. It creates pockets of hotness in the recipe, she says. The stems can be chewed to savour the intense flavour. The fact that it is an optional ingredient and depends on personal choice makes chui more interesting and versatile. The spice not just provides heat, but also adds an earthy flavour to the dish.

Dastidar started using this spice in the pop-up dinners she used to organise around the country, and would source it from the crowded Govindpuri market in South Delhi. The sellers here procure small quantities of this spice from West Bengal. A 15 cm piece of the stem can cost between ₹200 and ₹300 depending on the thickness—thick stems from near the roots fetch a better price. This stem can be stored for a few days if wrapped in a slightly moist cloth and kept in a dark chamber. Dastidar runs a restaurant, Edible Archives in Goa, and plans to plant a few of these vines in her kitchen garden.

In India, the use of this novel spice is restricted to a few pockets in West Bengal. The species has not been studied well even though it was mentioned way back in 1924 in a book called