Cubeb Pepper

Cubeb is a complex pepper variety native to Java, Indonesia. The pepper starts out as the immature fruit of a tropical climbing vine that sometimes grows in coffee plantations. The vines produce small flowers that turn into berries, which are gathered in the early summer.

The berries are then dried in the sun until they turn wrinkly and brown-black. Cubeb pepper barely has any heat, and the flavors are bitter, refreshing, and slightly numbing. Originally, it was grown for medicinal purposes, but over time it became popular as an ingredient due to its peppery and bitter notes.

This pepper variety is often used in ras el hanout, gulai curries, and mutton tagine. The spice pairs well with nutmeg, orange peel, lemongrass, and cloves.