Cubeb

Slightly larger than a peppercorn and with a distinctive tail, the dried, dark-brown, unripe fruit of Piper cubeba, a climbing member of the pepper family, has a warm, aromatic and bitter taste that is probably closer to allspice than pepper. It is used in a similar way to pepper. A native of Java, cubeb was a popular flavouring in medieval Britain, is used in Indonesian cooking and is an essential component in the making of the North African spice mix Ras el Hanout. Cubeb has long been used in Eastern medicine, where it is valued for treating respiratory complaints, cystitis and bronchitis and for its antiseptic properties. It is also regarded as a stimulant. Cubeb is often referred to as West African pepper in African texts. Available: specialist spice suppliers.