Banasura pepper GI

The semi-wild Banasura pepper is the absolute top pepper from the Malabar coastal strip. It grows in the Western Ghats, in the Wayanad valley. Banasura pepper is a mild, hot pepper, partly due to the exceptional size of the berry. 

In the Wayanad Valley, this authentic variety of pepper grows against the naturally occurring trees. The area is known for the Periyar Tiger Reserve, and is part of the UNESCO-protected Cardamom Hills. The main crops in the Wayanad Valley are coffee, cocoa and cardamom, and the local black pepper. Banasura pepper is semi-wild, the lianas grow against the trees in the forest, near the villages. The pepper plants are traditionally fertilized with cow manure and neem leaves (Azadirachta indica), a 'natural pesticide'. Of course no chemical pesticides are used.

The plants grow to a height of 12 meters, which is very exceptional for a pepper. The pepper in Wayanad is a landrace, crossed from the Karimunda and Panniyur varieties. In this special setting of the valley, the pepper plant has the opportunity to grow into full, starchy berries longer than usual. This produces a pepper that is deep red to deep brown, and not black. The scent is reminiscent of sandalwood.  The pepper has been under Indian Geographical Protection since 2006.

Our Banasura pepper is a Tellicherry - collective name for large pepper berries from the Malabar region - of the TGEB type (Tellicherry Garbled Extra Bold), with a grain size of 4.25 mm or larger. The pepper comes from Pulpally and is grown organically, just like the coffee and cocoa on the plantation. The harvest takes place at the end of winter and the beginning of summer, at the end of March. The unique growth habit makes harvesting, which is done entirely manually, time-consuming. Our pepper is also dried in special rooms and not in the sun, which means that the already exceptional aromas are even better preserved.

The pepper is named after Banasura, one of the highest mountains in the Western Ghats of Wayanad district, Kerala, India. The mountain is in turn named after a mythical character from Indian legends. Pulpally is about forty kilometers from the Banasura Sagar dam.

Why not organic? 

In order to be able to supply this sustainably grown pepper under the organic label, we will have to be certified as a packer/producer of the pepper. We are not. Although we process and store organic products and products from regular cultivation strictly separately, we are not (yet) allowed to use the organic label. This pepper grows in the wild.

Use

This particularly tasty black pepper is very suitable for general use.

Features:

• 100% pepper berries from the Piper nigrum var karimunda x panniyur
• protected by Indian GI (Geographical Protection) tag
• semi-wild
• origin: Wayanad Valley, Malabar Strip, Western India

Allergens: none

Assortment

• available in glass, stand-up pouch and test tube of 10 ml
• larger quantities on request

Gift packaging

• the jar is available in a tasteful gift packaging, consisting of a cube box filled with black tissue paper
• for an overview of our gift packaging, please refer to the gift packaging section

General advice

• grind your pepper shortly before use
  
• add the ground pepper to your preparation at the very last minute

Save:

• store your Banasura pepper in closed packaging
• preferably store in a dark, dry and cool place
• best before September 2026 (09/26)
• this expiration date is an indication

Batch number

The batch number helps us trace which supply an item comes from. It is stated on the packing slip and the invoice