Long Pepper (Pippali) from Madhya Pradesh

Pippali is among the very earliest spices mentioned in Sanskrit texts, between 1000 and 500 BCE, long before black pepper became the leading spice of international trade. In antiquity, it was one of the most prized goods exchanged between India, Greece and Rome.

The Roman writer and naturalist Pliny the Elder recorded in the 1st century that long pepper sold for up to three times the price of black pepper, its more intense and complex flavour sought after by Roman elites in both cooking and medicine.

Dethroned by sea routes, then by chilli peppers

From the 12th century onward, black pepper, carried by sea routes more reliable and faster than the overland routes used for pippali, began to supplant it in Europe. By the 14th century, the shift was nearly complete. The final blow came later, with the discovery of chilli peppers in the Americas: easier to grow in European climates, they finished pushing long pepper out of Western trade by the 18th century.

In India, unlike in the West, pippali never disappeared from kitchens or Ayurvedic medicine, where it holds a prized place alongside ginger and black pepper.

The confusion perpetuated by Pliny the Elder, who believed long pepper and black pepper came from the same plant harvested at different stages, long clouded European understanding of this spice. It took modern botanical classification to clearly establish these as two distinct species within the same Piper genus.

In recent years, pippali has seen renewed interest outside India, driven by Western chefs seeking historic flavours and a food literature that rediscovers it as "the forgotten spice of kings", more complex than black pepper, with notes evoking both peppery heat and a light woody sweetness.

This Sanskrit name "pippali" left an unexpected linguistic trace far broader than long pepper itself: it is thought to have given, via the Dravidian "tippali", the ancient Greek "peperi", then the Latin "piper", from which English "pepper" and French "poivre" directly descend. In other words, the very name of black pepper, today far better known and widespread, historically comes from the name of its long-fruited cousin, once considered the benchmark spice.

Unlike black pepper, which grows as round berries on a climbing vine, long pepper takes the form of an elongated spike, studded with tiny fruits fused together, resembling a small plant catkin. It is this whole, dried spike that is used in cooking and in Ayurvedic medicine.

A plant of the humid tropical forests

• Grows wild in India's evergreen forests, often in the undergrowth
• Cultivated in regions with high rainfall and relative humidity
• Harvested once the spike reaches full maturity, before drying completely in the sun
• Used either whole or ground, depending on the preparation

Long pepper should not be confused with a related species, Piper retrofractum, grown in Indonesia and sometimes sold under a similar name: botanically distinct, it shares a similar look but a slightly different flavour profile, less complex according to connoisseurs.

Long pepper shares piperine, its pungent compound, with black pepper, but its flavour is considered more complex and slightly sweeter. Some detect notes reminiscent of nutmeg or clove, alongside the characteristic pepper heat.

A heat that settles in deeply

Unlike the sharp, immediate bite of freshly ground black pepper, long pepper develops a heat that builds more gradually and lingers longer on the palate. Its aromatic complexity makes it prized in both savoury cooking and sweet preparations or infusions.

Like black pepper, pippali owes its heat to piperine, but its concentration and distribution through the catkin give a warmth that builds more gradually, accompanied by sweet and slightly musky notes absent from classic black pepper.

Where the heat hides

Unlike black pepper, whose heat comes from piperine spread throughout the whole peppercorn, long pepper concentrates most of its strength in the tiny seeds lodged along its fleshy spike: this is why it is grated or crushed whole rather than ground like an ordinary pepper, releasing its heat gradually rather than all at once.

Its aromatic complexity goes well beyond simple heat: warm notes of nutmeg and cinnamon mingle with a hint of resin and burnt sugar, a profile that explains why some Western chefs prefer it to black pepper for game dishes or spiced pastries.

In India, long pepper finds its place both in cooking, where it seasons simmered dishes and pickles, and in Ayurvedic medicine, where it holds a prized position.

In Indian cooking

• Ground to season curries and stews, as an alternative or complement to black pepper
• Used whole, infused into broths or long-simmered dishes
• An ingredient in some regional spice blends of central and northern India
• Used in pickles and marinades for its deep warmth

In Ayurvedic medicine

• The central ingredient of trikatu, a traditional blend of three pungent spices with ginger and black pepper
• Traditionally associated with supporting digestion and respiratory health
• Used as a powder, decoction or tincture depending on the preparation

An ingredient sought after by perfumery and mixology

Beyond traditional Indian cooking, long pepper has recently attracted the attention of Western perfumers and bartenders, who infuse it into spirits or use it as a base note in fragrance compositions, valuing its aromatic complexity beyond that of standard black pepper.

Long pepper owes part of its interest to piperine, the same active compound found in black pepper, present here alongside other alkaloids specific to the Piper longum species.

What we know about its composition

• Piperine: the compound responsible for its pungency, studied for its role in improving the absorption of other active compounds
• Traditional Ayurvedic use: long used as a rasayana, a general tonic, particularly for respiratory health
• Trikatu component: traditional formula associated with digestive support, without modern clinical evidence at a pharmaceutical level

Piperine from long pepper is the subject of research, notably as a potential bioavailability enhancer: several studies explore its ability to improve absorption of other nutritional compounds when paired with them, an active research field that does not, however, support any health claim from simple culinary use of long pepper in home cooking.

Quality criteria

• Colour: dark brown to black, even along the whole spike
• Texture: dry and firm spike, free of mould or softening
• Smell: pungent, slightly sweet aroma as soon as opened

Storage tips

• In an airtight container, away from light and moisture
• Shelf life: 2 to 3 years stored whole, much longer than ground
• Grind it at the last moment to preserve its aroma

Unlike round black peppercorns, the elongated whole catkin of long pepper doesn't work well in a standard pepper mill: grate it finely with a microplane or crush it in a mortar just before use.