30 DAYS OPEN PURCHASEMaqaw is one of those spices that needs a little explaining but rewards curiosity handsomely. The tiny berries from Litsea cubeba, an evergreen tree in the laurel family that grows wild in the mountain regions of Vietnam, Taiwan and southern China, look like minimalist black pepper, but taste nothing like black pepper. It's lemon. Not the sharp, angular lemon you squeeze and cringe from, but a round and smooth citrus note with hints of lemongrass and a warm, ginger-like depth underneath. Slightly waxy in texture, intense in aroma and with a long, complex finish.
The Pepper Quest's maqaw is hand-picked by Da Bac Cooperative in the mountains of Hoa Binh province, sourced together with Doi Spices, who have long worked closely with local farmers in Vietnam and create sustainable livelihoods for these communities.
It's not a spice that's found its way into most kitchens yet, but among chefs with roots in the Cantonese-influenced cuisine of Hong Kong and southern China, it has a firm place.
Use it crushed in marinades for chicken and seafood. Stir into butter and spread on fish before roasting. Grind over lemon pasta. Add to a warm infusion oil with olive oil and drizzle over grilled vegetables. Scatter over a courgette salad with feta. Works surprisingly well in baked goods with a citrus character, brushed into the pastry dough or ground straight into the batter.
35g.
