Spices Names in Kannada

How to read these Malenadu ingredient names

Each table of spices names in Kannada gives the English name, the Kannada word in Kannada script, a transliteration you can read aloud, the Hindi name and a short note. Where we were not fully sure of a script spelling, we have left only the transliteration. That way you never copy a wrong word into a shopping list.

Kannada changes from place to place, so a spice may have a slightly different name in Uttara Kannada, in Shivamogga and on the Udupi coast. Havyaka, Konkani and Tulu speaking homes add their own words too. The spices names in Kannada below are the ones most people in Malenadu will recognise. The notes mention common local names.

Many Malenadu ingredient names describe what a thing is. Kaayi means an unripe fruit or pod, hannu means a ripe fruit, soppu means leafy greens, hittu means flour, ele means leaf and gadde means a root or tuber. Once you know these, a lot of spices names in Kannada and vegetable names start to make sense on their own.

Spices names in Kannada: the main table

Here are the everyday spices names in Kannada, from pepper and cardamom to hing and curry leaves. The first eight are spices we sell.

English	Kannada	Transliteration	Hindi	Notes
Black pepper	ಕರಿಮೆಣಸು	kari menasu, menasu	kali mirch	The main heat in Malenadu saaru
White pepper	ಬಿಳಿ ಮೆಣಸು	bili menasu	safed mirch	Ripe pepper with the skin removed
Green cardamom	ಏಲಕ್ಕಿ	elakki, yalakki	elaichi	For payasa, sweets and tea
Clove	ಲವಂಗ	lavanga	laung	Dried flower buds
Nutmeg	ಜಾಯಿಕಾಯಿ	jaayikaayi, jaajikaayi	jaiphal	Seed of the nutmeg fruit
Mace	ಜಾಪತ್ರೆ	jaapatre	javitri	Red covering of the nutmeg seed
Bird eye chilli	ಗಾಂಧಾರಿ ಮೆಣಸು	gandhari menasu	no common Hindi name	Tiny and very hot
Turmeric	ಅರಿಶಿನ	arishina, arisina	haldi	Used as powder or fresh root
Black cardamom	ದೊಡ್ಡ ಏಲಕ್ಕಿ	dodda elakki	badi elaichi	Smoky, used in rice dishes
Cinnamon	ದಾಲ್ಚಿನ್ನಿ	daalchinni, chakke	dalchini	Tree bark
Cumin	ಜೀರಿಗೆ	jeerige	jeera	In tambuli and tempering
Coriander seeds	ಕೊತ್ತಂಬರಿ ಬೀಜ	kottambari beeja	sabut dhaniya	Roasted for saaru powder
Mustard seeds	ಸಾಸಿವೆ	saasive	rai, sarson	First into hot oil
Fenugreek seeds	ಮೆಂತ್ಯ	menthya, mente	methi dana	Fried for tambuli and pickles
Asafoetida	ಇಂಗು	ingu	hing	A pinch in tempering
Dry red chilli	ಒಣ ಮೆಣಸಿನಕಾಯಿ	ona menasinakaayi	sukhi lal mirch	Byadgi is the common variety
Green chilli	ಹಸಿ ಮೆಣಸಿನಕಾಯಿ	hasi menasinakaayi	hari mirch	Hasi means fresh or raw
Dry ginger	ಒಣ ಶುಂಠಿ	ona shunthi	saunth	Fresh ginger is hasi shunthi
Fennel seeds	ಸೋಂಪು	sompu, badesoppu	saunf	Badesoppu is common in Uttara Kannada
Carom seeds	ಓಮ	oma	ajwain	Added to fritters and rotti
Poppy seeds	ಗಸಗಸೆ	gasagase	khus khus	For gasagase payasa
Sesame seeds	ಎಳ್ಳು	ellu	til	Ellu bella at Sankranti
Curry leaves	ಕರಿಬೇವು	karibevu	kadi patta	In almost every tempering

If you remember one of these spices names in Kannada, make it menasu. Our black pepper grows on vines that climb the shade trees of Malenadu gardens.

Souring agents: kokum in Kannada and other sours

The most important souring agents in Malenadu kitchens are kokum, vate huli, tamarind and tender mango. Huli means sour in Kannada, which is why so many sour dishes have huli in the name. Learn these next to the spices names in Kannada, because recipes use them together.

English	Kannada	Transliteration	Hindi	Notes
Kokum rind	ಮುರುಗಲು	murugalu, punarpuli	kokum	Amsul in Marathi and Konkani
Dried monkey jack	ವಾಟೆಹುಳಿ	vate huli, ote huli	barhal, lakuch	Dried slices of Artocarpus lacucha
Tamarind	ಹುಣಸೆಹಣ್ಣು	hunasehannu	imli	The most common sour across Karnataka
Tender mango	ಮಾವಿನ ಮಿಡಿ	maavina midi	kachchi kairi	Very young mangoes for pickles
Wild tender mango	ಅಪ್ಪೆ ಮಿಡಿ	appe midi	no common Hindi name	Prized Malenadu pickle mangoes
Raw mango	ಮಾವಿನಕಾಯಿ	maavinakaayi	kachcha aam	For chitranna, gojju and saaru
Malabar tamarind	(transliteration only)	uppage, upagi	no common Hindi name	Garcinia gummi-gutta, used on the coast
Lemon	ನಿಂಬೆಹಣ್ಣು	nimbehannu	nimbu	Squeezed in at the end
Curd	ಮೊಸರು	mosaru	dahi	Base for tambuli
Buttermilk	ಮಜ್ಜಿಗೆ	majjige	chhaachh	Ends the meal

What is kokum in Kannada?

Kokum in Kannada is murugalu (ಮುರುಗಲು) and the tree is the murugalu mara. On the Udupi and Mangaluru coast many people call the dried rind punarpuli, while Marathi and Konkani speakers say amsul.

The fruit grows on the western slopes of the Ghats. The ICAR Indian Institute of Spices Research notes that it ripens between March and May and that the dried rind is used to sour curries and dals.

Most families in Uttara Kannada dry the rind in the sun after the summer harvest and keep it in a jar for the whole year. Soaked in warm water, it gives a deep red, fruity sour liquid for saaru and drinks. Our page on how to make kokum saaru shows the classic way to cook with it.

What is vate huli in English?

Vate huli in English is dried monkey jack, the fruit of Artocarpus lacucha, a cousin of jackfruit. In Kannada it is written ವಾಟೆಹುಳಿ and some people say ote huli. The fruit is sliced and dried, then used like kokum to sour saaru, gojju and chutneys. Because it is so local, vate huli is worth adding to your own list of spices names in Kannada.

In Hindi the tree is known as barhal or lakuch. Vate huli is a little earthier and less sharp than kokum, with a light brown colour instead of red. If you cannot get the dried slices, monkey jack powder is the same fruit in ground form. A teaspoon goes a long way.

Sweeteners: joni bella meaning and other sweet words

The main sweeteners in a Malenadu kitchen are bella (jaggery), joni bella (liquid jaggery) and honey. Sugar is used too, but most older recipes call for jaggery alongside the spices names in Kannada you saw above.

English	Kannada	Transliteration	Hindi	Notes
Jaggery	ಬೆಲ್ಲ	bella	gur	Solid blocks or balls
Liquid jaggery	ಜೋನಿ ಬೆಲ್ಲ	joni bella	no single Hindi name	Called kakvi in Marathi
Honey	ಜೇನುತುಪ್ಪ	jenutuppa	shahad	Jenu means honeybee
Sugar	ಸಕ್ಕರೆ	sakkare	cheeni
Rock sugar	ಕಲ್ಲುಸಕ್ಕರೆ	kallusakkare	mishri	Kallu means stone
Sugarcane	ಕಬ್ಬು	kabbu	ganna	Source of bella and joni bella

What is the joni bella meaning?

The joni bella meaning is simple: it is liquid jaggery, a thick, golden brown syrup made by boiling sugarcane juice and stopping before it sets into solid jaggery. Bella means jaggery while joni describes its runny, pouring form. In Malenadu it is poured over neer dose and akki rotti, stirred into payasa and eaten with ghee.

Fresh joni bella is made in the winter months when sugarcane is crushed in the village aalemane (the cane crushing shed). It keeps for months in a closed jar and may crystallise a little in cold weather, which is normal.

Oils and ghee: what are they called in Kannada?

In Kannada, enne means oil and tuppa means ghee. These words turn up in recipes as often as the spices names in Kannada, so they are worth learning.

English	Kannada	Transliteration	Hindi	Notes
Ghee	ತುಪ್ಪ	tuppa	ghee	Poured on hot rice
Butter	ಬೆಣ್ಣೆ	benne	makkhan	Churned from curd at home
Coconut oil	ತೆಂಗಿನ ಎಣ್ಣೆ	tengina enne, kobbari enne	nariyal tel	Daily oil in hill homes
Dry coconut	ಕೊಬ್ಬರಿ	kobbari	khopra, gola	Sun dried coconut
Sesame oil	ಎಳ್ಳೆಣ್ಣೆ	ellenne	til ka tel	For pickles and some sweets
Wood pressed oil	ಗಾಣದ ಎಣ್ಣೆ	gaanada enne	kachi ghani tel	Gaana is the traditional oil press
Kokum butter	ಮುರುಗಲ ಎಣ್ಣೆ	murugala enne	kokum butter	Fat from kokum seeds

Flours and starches: arrowroot in Kannada and more

Hittu means flour in Kannada, so rice flour is akki hittu and ragi flour is ragi hittu. Like the spices names in Kannada, these flour names follow simple patterns.

English	Kannada	Transliteration	Hindi	Notes
Rice	ಅಕ್ಕಿ	akki	chawal	Cooked rice is anna
Rice flour	ಅಕ್ಕಿ ಹಿಟ್ಟು	akki hittu	chawal ka atta	For akki rotti and kadubu
Rice rava	ಅಕ್ಕಿ ತರಿ	akki tari	chawal ki rava	Coarse rice grits
Red boiled rice	(transliteration only)	kusubalakki	no common Hindi name	Coastal and ghat staple
Beaten rice	ಅವಲಕ್ಕಿ	avalakki	poha
Ragi flour	ರಾಗಿ ಹಿಟ್ಟು	ragi hittu	mandua atta	For ragi mudde and rotti
Semolina	ರವೆ	rave	suji	For uppittu and kesari
Urad dal	ಉದ್ದಿನ ಬೇಳೆ	uddina bele	urad dal	In dose batter and tempering
Toor dal	ತೊಗರಿ ಬೇಳೆ	togari bele	arhar dal	For saaru and huli
Arrowroot powder	ಕೂವೆ ಹಿಟ್ಟು	koove hittu	ararot	A fine white starch

What is arrowroot in Kannada?

Arrowroot in Kannada is koove (ಕೂವೆ). The powder is koove hittu. Some people say koova, which is the Malayalam word, so you will see both in lists of spices names in Kannada. The Kannada dictionary uses koove for both the East Indian arrowroot plant and the West Indian arrowroot plant.

The root is grated, washed and settled until a pure white starch is left, which is then dried. In many Malenadu homes it is cooked with milk or water into a smooth porridge. It also thickens payasa.

Greens and forest produce in Kannada

Soppu means greens and ele means leaf, so most leafy vegetables end in one of the two. Many grow wild in the monsoon around Malenadu homes and are cooked with the same spices names in Kannada listed above.

English	Kannada	Transliteration	Hindi	Notes
Colocasia leaves	ಕೆಸುವಿನ ಎಲೆ	kesuvina ele	arbi ke patte	For pathrode and gojju
Colocasia root	ಕೆಸುವಿನ ಗಡ್ಡೆ	kesuvina gadde	arbi
Bamboo shoot	ಕಳಲೆ	kalale, kanile	baans ki kopal	A monsoon dish in the hills
Mushroom	ಅಣಬೆ	anabe	khumbi	Wild ones come up in the rains
Indian pennywort	ಒಂದೆಲಗ	ondelaga	mandukparni	For tambuli
Indian borage	ದೊಡ್ಡಪತ್ರೆ	doddapatre	patharchur	For tambuli and bajji
Drumstick leaves	ನುಗ್ಗೆ ಸೊಪ್ಪು	nugge soppu	sahjan ke patte
Amaranth leaves	ಹರಿವೆ ಸೊಪ್ಪು	harive soppu	chaulai
Banana stem	ಬಾಳೆ ದಿಂಡು	baale dindu	kele ka tana	For palya and juice
Banana flower	ಬಾಳೆ ಹೂವು	baale hoovu	kele ka phool	For palya and vade
Elephant foot yam	ಸುವರ್ಣ ಗಡ್ಡೆ	suvarna gadde	jimikand
Mangalore cucumber	ಮಗೆ ಕಾಯಿ	mage kaayi	no common Hindi name	Yellow cucumber for huli and dose

Fruits used in cooking: jackfruit, kokum and more

The fruits used in Malenadu cooking are mostly jackfruit, mango, kokum and monkey jack, eaten both raw and ripe. Hannu means a ripe fruit and kaayi means an unripe one, so halasina hannu is ripe jackfruit and halasina kaayi is raw jackfruit. These fruit words sit beside the spices names in Kannada in almost every hill recipe.

English	Kannada	Transliteration	Hindi	Notes
Ripe jackfruit	ಹಲಸಿನ ಹಣ್ಣು	halasina hannu	kathal	For kadubu, dose and payasa
Raw jackfruit	ಹಲಸಿನ ಕಾಯಿ	halasina kaayi	kachcha kathal	For palya and happala
Jackfruit seeds	ಹಲಸಿನ ಬೀಜ	halasina beeja	kathal ke beej	Roasted or added to saaru
Kokum fruit	ಮುರುಗಲು ಹಣ್ಣು	murugalu hannu	kokum	Fresh fruit for juice, rind for drying
Ripe mango	ಮಾವಿನ ಹಣ್ಣು	maavina hannu	aam	For seekarane and gojju
Monkey jack fruit	(transliteration only)	vate	barhal, lakuch	Dried as vate huli
Hog plum	ಅಮಟೆಕಾಯಿ	amatekaayi	amra	Sour fruit for pickles
Bitter orange	ಹೇರಳೆಕಾಯಿ	heralekaayi	no common Hindi name	Large bitter citrus for pickles
Breadfruit	ದೀವಿ ಹಲಸು	deevi halasu	no common Hindi name	Sliced and fried as chips
Raw banana	ಬಾಳೆಕಾಯಿ	baalekaayi	kachcha kela	For palya and chips
Indian gooseberry	ನೆಲ್ಲಿಕಾಯಿ	nellikaayi	amla	Pickles and tambuli
Coconut	ತೆಂಗಿನಕಾಯಿ	tenginakaayi	nariyal	Grated into almost everything

Which spices names in Kannada confuse people most?

The spices names in Kannada that confuse people most are the ones that come in pairs or sound alike: mace and nutmeg, cardamom and black cardamom, pepper and chilli. Here are short notes on each, plus a few more spices names in Kannada worth knowing well.

What is mace in Kannada?

Mace in Kannada is jaapatre (ಜಾಪತ್ರೆ) while nutmeg is jaayikaayi (ಜಾಯಿಕಾಯಿ). Both come from the same fruit. As the ICAR Indian Institute of Spices Research explains on its nutmeg and mace page, the seed kernel is nutmeg and the lacy red aril around it is mace.

Mace is softer and more delicate, so it goes into sweets, biryani and garam masala. Nutmeg is grated in small amounts into payasa and sweets. Of all the spices names in Kannada, jaapatre and jaayikaayi are the pair most often mixed up, so check which one a recipe asks for.

Spices names in Kannada for clove, cardamom and turmeric

Some spices names in Kannada sound close to Hindi: clove is lavanga (ಲವಂಗ), almost the same as laung. Cardamom is elakki (ಏಲಕ್ಕಿ), which many people in Malenadu say as yalakki. Turmeric is arishina (ಅರಿಶಿನ), also spelt arisina. It is used both as a powder and as fresh root.

Pepper and chilli: why menasu matters

Pepper in Kannada is menasu (ಮೆಣಸು) and black pepper is kari menasu. The word for chilli, menasinakaayi, literally means “pepper pod”. Pepper was the original heat in South Indian food, so chilli took its name. This pair of spices names in Kannada tells that story.

Two words worth learning

Gandhari menasu is the tiny, very hot bird eye chilli that grows in Malenadu backyards. Kalale (or kanile) is bamboo shoot, cooked in the monsoon. Add these two to the spices names in Kannada you already know and you can follow almost any hill recipe.

Shopping tips: using spices names in Kannada at the market

The easiest way to use spices names in Kannada at a market is to say the Kannada name and show the spice if you can. Local items like vate huli, joni bella and appe midi are known only by their Kannada names.

• Say the short form. Shopkeepers understand short spices names in Kannada like menasu, elakki, lavanga and arishina.
• Ask for murugalu, not kokum, in small towns in Uttara Kannada and Shivamogga.
• Check the season. Fresh kalale, anabe and appe midi are sold only in their season.

Where to go next with these spices names in Kannada

Now that you know the spices names in Kannada, try cooking with them. Our Malenadu food guide explains the daily meals and seasons, with kokum saaru as a good first dish. Keep this page of spices names in Kannada open while you cook and read about the region on our page on Malenadu in Karnataka.

Frequently asked questions about spices names in Kannada