Spices names in Malayalam and English
Spices names in Malayalam and English: kurumulaku, elakkaya, grampoo, kudampuli and more, with Malayalam script, pronunciation and short notes.
Kerala has traded spices for well over two thousand years, and the Malabar coast is still where much of India's black pepper and cardamom is grown. Most Kerala cooks know these spices by their Malayalam names first, which can make a recipe, a shopping list or a conversation at the spice shop confusing if you only know the English. This list gives the name used in central Kerala, the Malayalam script you will see on packets and shop boards, and a simple way to say it.
A few words help with almost every spice. Podi means powder, so mulakupodi is chilli powder and manjal podi is turmeric powder. Ila means leaf, as in kariveppila (curry leaves). Kaaya or -kka at the end of a word usually marks a fruit or pod, as in elakkaya (cardamom pod) and jathikka (nutmeg).
No match on this page. Try the search across all names.
| English | Malayalam | Say it | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black pepper | കുരുമുളക് | kurumulaku | Kerala's signature spice; the dried berries of Piper nigrum, sold whole or ground. |
| Green cardamom | ഏലക്കായ | elakkaya | Also just elam. Grown in the Idukki hills; keep the pods whole until use. |
| Cloves | ഗ്രാമ്പൂ | grampoo | Also karayampoo. Dried flower buds; a few go a long way. |
| Cinnamon | കറുവപ്പട്ട | karuvapatta | The bark of the cinnamon tree; much 'cinnamon' sold in India is cassia. |
| Nutmeg | ജാതിക്ക | jathikka | The seed of the nutmeg fruit; grate as needed. |
| Mace | ജാതിപത്രി | jathipathri | The red lacy covering around the nutmeg seed. |
| Turmeric | മഞ്ഞൾ | manjal | Sold as fresh root or dried powder. |
| Ginger | ഇഞ്ചി | inji | Fresh rhizome. Dried ginger has its own name, below. |
| Dry ginger | ചുക്ക് | chukku | Dried ginger, used whole or powdered; often in chukku kaapi, a dry-ginger coffee drink. |
| Garlic | വെളുത്തുള്ളി | veluthulli | Bulbs of small cloves; Kerala markets sell both small country garlic and large hill garlic. |
| Cumin seeds | ജീരകം | jeerakam | Also nalla jeerakam to tell it apart from fennel. |
| Fennel seeds | പെരുംജീരകം | perumjeerakam | Literally 'big cumin'; sweeter and greener than cumin. |
| Mustard seeds | കടുക് | kaduku | Small dark seeds, usually the first thing into hot oil in Kerala cooking. |
| Fenugreek seeds | ഉലുവ | uluva | Hard yellow-brown seeds with a bitter taste. |
| Coriander seeds | മല്ലി | malli | Coriander leaves are malliyila; powder is mallippodi. |
| Dried red chilli | വറ്റൽമുളക് | vattal mulaku | Dried chillies; chilli powder is mulakupodi. |
| Green chilli | പച്ചമുളക് | pacha mulaku | Fresh chillies. |
| Bird's eye chilli | കാന്താരിമുളക് | kanthari mulaku | Tiny, very hot chillies grown in many Kerala home gardens. |
| Curry leaves | കറിവേപ്പില | kariveppila | Fresh leaves of the curry tree; not related to curry powder. |
| Asafoetida | കായം | kaayam | Also called hing. A dried resin sold as lumps or a compounded powder. |
| Star anise | തക്കോലം | thakkolam | Star-shaped dried fruit, used whole in biryani spice blends. |
| Indian bay leaf | വഴനയില | vazhanayila | Leaf of a cinnamon-family tree (tejpatta), not the Mediterranean bay laurel. |
| Tamarind | വാളൻപുളി | vaalanpuli | Also just puli. Sour pulp from tamarind pods, sold in blocks. |
| Malabar tamarind | കുടംപുളി | kudampuli | Dried rind of Garcinia gummi-gutta; the souring agent in many Kerala fish dishes. |
| Poppy seeds | കശകശ | kashakasha | Tiny cream-coloured seeds. |
| Sesame seeds | എള്ള് | ellu | Black and white kinds; sesame oil is nallenna. |
| Saffron | കുങ്കുമപ്പൂവ് | kunkumapoovu | Dried stigmas of the saffron crocus. |
| Nigella seeds | കരിഞ്ചീരകം | karinjeerakam | Small black seeds, also called kalonji or black cumin. |
| Carom seeds | അയമോദകം | ayamodakam | Also called ajwain; strong thyme-like aroma. |
| Garam masala | ഗരം മസാല | garam masala | A blend of warm spices; recipes vary by family and brand. |
Want these on a shopping list? Tick them in the grocery list maker and copy or share the list in English, Malayalam or both.
Spice names that are easy to mix up
- Cumin and fennel. Jeerakam is cumin; perumjeerakam, 'big cumin', is fennel. Shops often say nalla jeerakam for cumin to avoid confusion.
- Two kinds of tamarind. Vaalanpuli is ordinary tamarind pulp. Kudampuli is the smoked, dried rind of a different fruit, Garcinia gummi-gutta, and is the sour note in many Kerala fish curries. They are not interchangeable one-for-one.
- Ginger and dry ginger. Fresh ginger is inji; dried ginger is chukku, a separate item on a shopping list.
- Coriander. Malli on its own usually means the seeds; the leaves are malliyila.
- Bay leaf. The leaf sold in Indian shops as bay leaf is vazhanayila (tejpatta), from a cinnamon-family tree, not the Mediterranean bay laurel.
To keep whole spices aromatic for longer, see our guide on how to store spices. For the leaves, roots and gourds that go with them, see the vegetable names list.
References
Names were checked against these references and against everyday market usage in Ernakulam. Spellings in Malayalam script follow the dictionary form; transliterations are simple spellings to help you say the word, not a formal scheme.
- Olam English–Malayalam dictionary
- ICAR-Indian Institute of Spices Research, Kozhikode
- Kerala Agricultural University
Frequently asked questions
What is black pepper called in Malayalam?
Black pepper is kurumulaku (കുരുമുളക്) in Malayalam. Ground pepper is kurumulaku podi.
What is cardamom called in Malayalam?
Cardamom is elakkaya (ഏലക്കായ), often shortened to elam (ഏലം).
What is kudampuli in English?
Kudampuli (കുടംപുളി) is Malabar tamarind, the dried rind of Garcinia gummi-gutta. It is also sold as fish tamarind or by its botanical name.
What is fennel called in Malayalam?
Fennel seeds are perumjeerakam (പെരുംജീരകം), meaning big cumin. Cumin itself is jeerakam.
What is asafoetida called in Malayalam?
Asafoetida (hing) is kaayam (കായം) in Malayalam.
