22 Oct 2005

Dear Sir/Madam,

Kindly advise me the equivalent name(s) of Marathi Moggu in Hindi, Sanskrit, English. Understand that this product is used in Bishe Bele Bhat and other rice preparations in Karnataka. Plus it is used in some rice preparations in Bihar.

Thank you in anticipation.

Best regards.

Gopi

I am not sure what it is Gopi! Is Meretti mogu also known as caper? See http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ecoph16.htm This site has pictures, can you identify from it?

If it is capers, then these are some of things on the net;

Capparis spinosa

Sanskrit: Karira

Hindi:Himsra, kiari/karer, kobara/kabara

English: caper, caperberry, caperbush

Punjabi: Karia

Tamil: sengam, karimulli, Kariyal

Bengali: kabra

Malayalam: karimulli, karimullu

Kannada: Kari Mulli, Nispatige, barra

Telegu: Enugadanta, Mumudatu

Persian: Kuraka, kebir

"The flavor of caper may be described as being similar to that of mustard and black pepper."

I use capers in Western dishes, but have not come across it in North India, which is where I come from.

Perhaps someone else can help you on the Forum!

Mamta

I've only spotted a few references to it that aren't other boards with similar questions to this one...

It does seem to be a very rare ingredient in Indian Cookery so maybe thats why its so hard to find anything about it.

The only things I can see without spending all night looking.. -

QUOTE

If you ask for Dried CAPERS, you may get it in US.

If you go to South Indian store, then you may ask for Marathi/Maretti Moggu.

END QUOTE

You've got me started now...

A search for just "Moggu" brings up "andhra moggu" in a recipe for Biriyani, that says dry roast and grind it.. So I doubt that is capers (I'm English and have no working knowledge of the language so I don't know if moggu means bean or seed etc...)

This site - ( http://www.daawat.com/recipes/contributions/bhagararice.htm )

had Marati Moggu in the recipe listed as - 4 Marati Moggu so it would seem like something you count out rather than spoon out in a recipe for "Bhagara Rice"

A search for "marati" seems to show that it is a language sometimes the spelling has an H in there as well "marathi", so possibly this bit is just pointing to a place/are like saying Kentucky Chicken ?

QUOTE

Marathi is spoken mainly in Maharashtra & the Central part of India. It is the state official Language of Maharashtra

END QUOTE

This site ( http://www.maayboli.com/) is listed as Marathi language, but I can't read it (obviously), but if you can maybe they could answer the question ?

oooh hang on.. Search for Marathi Recipes, Marati Recipes, might have ingredients listed on a site....

This site ( http://www.mumbai-masala.com/glossary/mglossary.html ) has a list of Marathi ingredients but doesn't show Marati Moggu (its also doesn't have capers listed anywhere).

Another site I can't read but its got pictures, maybe this could help if anyone can read it ( http://www.marathiworld.com/pakkala/ ).

Now just wondering to myself it this could be one of those, lost in translation things.. where somewhere in the past, someone has asked for the name of something and has been told in a very accented reply "Marati Mango's" meaning Mango's from the region of.. and thought they were being told that it was called Marati Moggu... you never know.. I've seen daft'er things...

noticing a lot of recipes with peanuts...

This site which I presume is the one where you started from ( http://www.hemant-trivedis-cookery-corner.com/glossary/condiments.html ) has

Marati Moggu listed with "THABAB CHINNI in Hindi", "MARATHI MAGGU in Kannada (Canada?)and Mareti (bud)

So if Mareti (bud) is a Caper, the Caper is a bud of a plant, that would seem to make "Mareti" the actual plant name (in which ever language its listed under).

New search now..

Caper appears to be "kiari or kobra" in Hindi

related species (to the caper plant) listed on ( http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/cropfactsheets/caper.html#Common%20Names ) gives -

"Capparis mooni - from India"

((would you believe there is a trade in counterfeit capers, from a plant that is not strictly a caper plant, and they use cloves and sour vinegar to get them to taste the same...!! ?? ))

I'm not convinced its capers... In Urdo and Hindi the words are nothing like (infact only Swahili does it even begin with M ( Mruko if you wanted to know)

However MUGO comes up with "Pinus Mugo" which is the generic Swiss Mountain Pine...wonder if Moggu could be pine?.. pine nuts ?

it gets worse and worse, This site (http://www.koausa.org/Languages/Shashi.html) relating to the Kashmiri language notes "mong in Kashmiri is 'a species of pulse' and in Sanskrit is 'mudgah (Pkt. muggo)'

another site says that Moggu is vAlmiLagu in Tamil, however that is Cubeb Pepper which is kankol in Marathi, so looks like a wrong answer (as far as I can tell)

This site ( http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2003110500240303.htm&date=2003/11/05/&prd=mp& ) has this -

QUOTE

• Revathy Devi of K.K. Nagar would like to answer Annie Chacko's query on Marathi Mukku. Marathi Mukku or Maratha moggu (Maratha bud) is a spice which when added to dishes gives a special flavour. It has to be used in a limited quantity and ground with other spices. She recalls her mother making the curry powder by adding maratha moggu, elaichi pineapple seeds, dhal chini, cloves etc. Now maratha moggu is used in Bisibelebath, a Karnataka dish.

END QUOTE ??

by the way the site you started from seems to sound like they are some sort of seeds that burst when heated..

someone else says Marati Moggu is Badi Laung, but that appears to be two things, cloves and cardamons..

This site/company (http://www.swastiks.com/default.htm )in Bangalore has Marati Moggu listed as an ingedient, I've emailed them asking if they could better explain what it is (now expecting a load of spam mail to hit my inbox)

It appears the more I look, the more confused everyone seems to be about it. Mostly it is your own posts on other boards bringing up a multitude of different answers, all of which contradict each other...

I suggest you go to the person who put he recipe up (where all this started from) and ask them to possibly put a picture of it up, or explain it in great detail (shape, size, how it grows, how its harvested, how its used, what it tastes like etc) then maybe it will become more obvious as to what it is..?

sorry I can't be of more help.....

Vow! That is some research Steven!

I am in India at present and will try to find out here. I have only got blank looks so far ;-)!

Mamta

"Marathi Moggu" is dried capers (the buds and fruits), which is fairly easily available in Karnataka. It has a mild and aromatic flavour, and is used in "Bisi Bele Bhat" - which gives it the distinctive flavour.

Marati moggu is also known as Andhra Moggu. It is mostly used in Andhra Pradesh recipes using rice - meat & a necessary item in Chettinad cuisine. The English name is Cubeb Pepper or better known as 'Tailed Pepper'. This item should be used sparingly.

These details may be useful:

Piper cubeba L. f. (1)

SYNONYM(S) : Cubeba officinalis Raf.

ARABIC : Kab?bah, Hhabb el'ar?s.

BENGALI : Kabab chini.

CHINESE : Bi cheng qie, Cheng qie, Bi cheng qie (medicinal name).

DUTCH : Cubebe, Cubebepeper.

ENGLISH : Cubeb pepper, Java pepper, Javanese peppercorn, West African black pepper.

ESTONIAN : Kubeebapipar.

FRENCH : Cub?be, Poivre ? queue, Poivre de Java, Poivrier cub?be.

GERMAN : Javanischer Pfeffer, Kubebenpfeffer, Kubeben-Pfeffer , Schwanzpfeffer, Stielpfeffer, Stiel-Pfeffer.

HINDI : Cubab-chinee, Kabab chini, Sheetal chini.

HUNGARIAN : J?vai bors, Kub?ba bors.

ITALIAN : Cubebe, Pepe a coda.

JAPANESE : Kubeba.

KANNADA : Gantamenasu.

MALAY : Lada berekor, Kemukus (Indonesia), Temukus (Indonesia).

MALAYALAM : Vaalmilagu.

NEPALESE : Kabaab chiinii, Thulo pipla .

RUSSIAN : Kubeba, Dikiy pjerets.

SPANISH : Cubeba.

SWEDISH : Kubebapeppar.

TAMIL : Vaalmilagu.

TELUGU : Chalavamiriyaalu, Tokamiriyalu.

TURKISH : Kebebiye, Kebebe, Hind biberi.

URDU : Dhumkimirch, Kavabchini.

We all enjoy this site as well, its one ever growing fountain on knowledge...

please stick around and share your's with us

Steve

Speaking of capers, other than adding to a salad or maybe putting in a creamy sauce to be spread over something, what else can you do with them ?

Steve

As I recall it, I used to make a salmon or Tuna mousse when I had big parties many years ago. That always had capers.

mamta

you know I love salmon with just vinegar on it !

Steve

I am an American living in Hyderabad for the past 8 years. I just returned from the local store where I purchased a variety of spices and picked up a few things I didn't know what they were, but was curious about them, so I bought them -- and now I'm looking them up on the internet! One of them is this Marati Mogga. I am looking at them right now and I can tell you they are certainly not at all capers. They are long black pods filled with fine seeds similar to the seeds of Vanilla beans. In fact, I thought they might be a form of Vanilla, as they look very much like a much shorter and harder version of dried Vanilla beans. The taste is nothing like Vanilla, though. Very pungeant in taste. Slightly bitter. Going by the taste, I'd guess this spice is used in salty dishes, probably meat dishes. Going over the list above of translations of the name of this spice in other languages, among them is the Urdu name "dhamkamirchi". There is a very well known Hyderabadi dish by the name of "dhamka ghost" which I wonder if this is how that name was derived (mirchi of course is hot pepper, and they do sort of resemble a dried mirchi, but only as far as a vanilla bean looks like a dried mirchi!). Someone previously in this message mentioned it is in Biryani. Biryani originated in Hyderabad, and I have never seen it used in that dish -- but I would be the first to admit I don't know everything about the local cooking! I do seem to recognize it from other rice dishes served at weddings and at restaurants, however, what I'd describe as a Hyderabadi version of Persian Rice Pilaf, containing soaked/cooked dried fruits (raisins--"kish mish"--and dates, particularly) and this pod.

Hello Georgette

I am not really sure what Marati Mogga/moggu is! I always forget to look when I go to Indian store! Take a look here and see if what you have looks anything like this?

http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Pipe_cub.html?style=&query=Piper+cubeba

You are lucky to be able to have all the excellent cuisine of Hyderabad. They do make such wonderful Biryani and meat dishes.

Mamta

maratti moggu is a spice used in the preparation of biryani in the southern parts of India.Once from a programme on agriculture telecast in the Podhigai TV ,I learnt that it is the immature pods of the silk cotton tree.

T.R.DAMODARAN

damkodipal@yahoo.co.in

Are you sure about this T R?

I know the Indian cotton silk tree very well, we used to have them where I grew up. They are big trees, with bright red flowers, a small part of which (probably stamen) is edible. The pod matures and bursts open, releasing a handful of very silky cotton. My mum used to make pillows with it, used only in winter, because this cotton was considered very warm. I am sure we called them ?Sembal? tree. An internet search gave following translations (http://sliceoftheday.wordpress.com/tag/malvales/);

Silk Cotton Tree, Kapok Tree, Red Silk Cotton Tree (English)

Shalmali, Semul (Hindi)

Saanvari, Saura (Marathi)

Ilavu, Puulaa, Mullilavu (Tamil)

Tera (Manipuri)

Dumboil, Himila, Himolu (Assamese)

Mamta

Hi, Mamta--

I tried sending a reply a couple times before and for some reason it did not go through. I hope it works this time!

I looked at that link and it is certainly not what I have in front of me. I asked my mother in law, a Hyderabadi native lady, if she knew what this is and she says she does not recognize this Marati Mogga at all. She says that the Kabab-mirch or cabeb-chini (which is what you link to) is the spice that is used in Biriyani and other Hyderabadi meat dishes. She says it is very similar to black peper in taste, but without the heat. This Marati Mogga is not used in Biryani or any other dish that she knows about.

Indeed, this "Marati Mogga" is something entirely different. It is a black long finger-like pod, about the size and thickness of my little finger. It is filled with dozens (hundreds?) of tiny round black seeds, which are dry and fall out freely. The pod is certainly a monocot, from the looks of it, and it is hard and dry, almost as hard as cinnamon.

My Hyderabadi/Urdu cook, as well as my Hindi maids, do not recognize it at all, but my sister in law (also a Hyderabadi lady) was examining it and she thinks it may be a small young okra that has been dried. And on closer inspection, I think she may be right! She says that it may be a type of okra from a different part of India that is thicker and harder than the one we have here. We have given a couple of them to one of the Telegu servants and she will ask some folks if they know what dishes it is used in.

I'll report back if she knows anything. But as it stands right now, we think it is okra dried very hard and black.

I really like your site. Thanks for all the fascinating information, and interesting discussions!

~Georgette

Hello Georgette

Thank you for that. We don't seem to be any nearer the truth, do we? I will look forward to hearing what your maid says. My Hyderabadi friend here does not know what it is. I will have a look at it when I go to Indian grocer next.

Mamta

PS Thanks for your comments about my site. Since it is a labour of love for us, it is nice to hear that it is of help to people.

Hi, Mamta--

According to a group of village (Telegu) people my servant spoke with, Marati Mogga is used in a rice dish. She did not get the name of the dish, but they are in agreement that it is a type of dried okra.

I searched online and found that dried okra is also used in Turkey for meat and rice dishes. I think I will try to experiment with this and see what I come up with! If I learn anything more, I will let you know!

Take care!

~Georgette

Phew..that was an extensive discussion on MM..tho am from the south,my mother in law had never heard of this spice..until I mentioned it..its not used in everyday cooking..but in certain recipes like rasavangi,bisi bele bhath(on an optional basis)..but I must tell u it does add a unique flavor to the dishes that can be distinctly recognized.I have some at home in sydney which i carried all the way from India past the prying eyes of the customs.It does have a dozens of seeds inside and is quite tough to break.Not sure if it has any link with okra tho!!

Hello Rupa

But what is it? I am still not sure. Is it possible for you to take a couple of pistures and post them to me.

Are you the Rupa who has sent me some Bengali recipes in the past?

Mamta

I didn't know there is so much of International interest on Marathi Moggu.

While I have roamed around most of India over 30 years, I never heard of this till I reached Bangalore and my wife asked me to get some about three years back.

Below are two links where the same topic is discussed in detail.

I can assure you that the photograph in the second link (right most) is authentic. This spice is widely available in Bangalore and one may find it in the spice counter of Big Bazaar etc.

I can also vouch that this has nothing to do with the Silk cotton tree. We have couple of them growing in our backyard in Kerala.

Hope this info is useful

Ajaya Prasad

Forgot the links

http://www.forumhub.com/southfood/29959.03.01.08.html

http://www.nandyala.org/mahanandi/archives/2007/10/14/naaga-keshar-cloves-and-marathi-moggu/

Thanks for the links, they make interesting reading

Steve

Hi All,

I too am desperate to find a supply of this rare spice.

I was introduced to a Chetinad Curry whilst in Goa last autumn and after trying this curry for over five visits ( Yes it was the greatest I have ever tasted ) - I managed to get the recipe which contains both Kalpassi ( Black Stone Flower ) and Marathi Moggu - both are ground into a massala and added to the curry towards the end of cooking.

Having sent many feelers out to track down Kalpassi ( Dagad Phool ) I was able to get some via friends in Wembley UK (through kind Hindu people there )

Doing a bit of research it does look like these two ingredients are essential to Chetinad style curries.

So are we saying here that Cubeb Pepper is not Marathi Moggu ?

It is capers, it is not! I am still not sure what it is!!! Anyway, I don't use it in my cooking (yet), so I am not too fussed about it :-)!

Mamta

Hi! Marathi Moggu in English is: Dried Kapok Buds or Bambox. In Hindi it is called Shalmali or Semul

Maratti Moggu

Eriodendron Anfractuosum

Hindi: Khatyan-ka-kalli

Ovaries of the flower or very young fruits used in condiments.

[Source: A Manual of the Nilagiri District in the Madras Presidency, compiled and edited by H.B. Grigg, BA, Oxon, Madras Civil Service, Late Assistant commissioner, Nilagiris, 1880]

I am still looking for the translation of Marati Moggu.

I know for a fact that Marati Moggou is not Kabab Mirch (aka, magghe), which is the long black-pepper, though it somewhat looks like that. As someone in this thread described it, Marati Moggu looks very much like a vanialla bean and it has small black seeds inside it. I also know for a fact that it is not capers. This is because I live in Canada and have been looking for this spice through many grocery and Indian stores and have a hard time describing it to storekeepers here, as they have not heard of it.

My mom buys this all the time in South India (karnataka as well as Pondicherry) for a dish called 'Cuddappa' (might be either a chetinad dish or a karnataka dish, made with moong dhall, usually served with idilies).

I have finally asked someone to bring e some from India.

Hi Mona, how about a picture?

Himej (Terminalia Chebula)

Acording to my knowledge( Im born and brought up in Bangalore and a Telugu by origin) The stuff Marati mogga we are discussing about are the dried fruits of a plant called as Capers, Ofcourse the product varies differently in varius parts I guess, Unopened buds at different stages are used( like the cloves) in some parts while different stages of fruits also are used somewhere else.

In Karnataka this spice is used as an ingredient of the classic Bisibelebhath and Vanghibhath while in Andhra it is used for a wide variety of Non-vegetarian preparations.

Here are a few pictures; http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&rlz=1T4SKPB_enGB231GB232&resnum=0&q=Marathi+moggu+picture&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=vx07S_TLJ5v80wTTzIGTBQ&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CBMQsAQwAA

It looks a bit like cloves to me.

We use capers in a Mediterranean pork dish. It has slices of red and green pepper, a tomato sauce, and two different cheeses. It's absolutely fab, and goes down well with all of our guests. Can't recall where we got the recipe. We serve it with tagliatelle. Yummy! And the capers are essential.

Phil

Upendra may be correct. I bought a packet of Himej about a year ago as it looked very much like the earlier photo of moggu. I never used it as I've only found it referred to in ayruvedic cures. However, today I came across a garam masala recipe where marati moggu is an ingreident and its also called himej in the list of ingredients - see the following web address....

http://www.andhrafood.com/af_rec.cfm?ID=22

neil

Even am intrigued about maretti moggu and tru=ying hard to find it in the local shops here. Just now, i came across a picture of karinjeerakam(malayalam) on google images and the pic simulated the ones found for maretti moggu....

Finally I hv got the perfect Marati Moggu in my hands now. :)

Was fed up of searching it in shops in the US and now finally I got it from this online store The Big Indian Store http://spicesonline.info/indian-spices/marati-moggu-marathi-moggu-100g-p-857.html

Kebab chin I have purchased in Toronto. It shows up in kebab recipes. They look larger than black pepper seeds (dried), They impart a taste that is a bit nondescript, leading me to query if there is a subtlety that influences the overall rather than distinctive flavour

Moggu is correct name. It looks similar to clove (laving)

But bigger to clove and smells differently.

kebab chini (Chinese cubeb) is cubeb pepper, and nothing to do with kebabs, per se. 'Cubeb' comes from the French, queue, meaning a tail, and this spice is often called 'tailed pepper', due to a little spike on one side of the peppercorn.

It is often misapplied to allspice, which is not an Indian spice, although used in the West Indies.

i saw the photo of capers. it is known as vall malagu, (pepper with tail) in tamil.In south india we use it in besi, and in some type of biriyani.

What is a besi please?

like Mr.Dhamodaran says,it is the immature pod of the silk cotton tree.there is amarket for this commodity in my place

I have seen two types of marathi mogu.One ,long, with small seeds as described, and another small, almost resembling,cloves.Only, when you look at them closely, you see the tip is different.These are classically used in a kannada(south India) rice dish called Bisi belle bath.It is almost like the signature flavour of this dish

It is actually'maratti mokku' a tamil word which means dried buds. It is dried unripe buds of caper plant. It is used widely in karnataka and chettinad cuisine for its aroma. Google search for maratti mokku you will get a picture of it. It is black- brown about half an inch sized dried buds