26/08/2025
✨ What if one tiny seed could taste like lemongrass, ginger, and star anise all at once? 👀
Eight years ago, The New York Times called it “deeply fragrant, with a scent of lemongrass and citron, making it sublime on delicate fish.”🌿
They were talking about maqaw (馬告) — also known as “mountain pepper” (山胡椒) — a spice grown wild in the cool, misty highlands that’s used by the Atayal people of Taiwan for generations. But maqaw isn’t fiery like the pepper in bak k*t teh. Instead, it’s bright, citrusy, and complex — imagine lemongrass, ginger, and star anise, all in one.
Today, its an essential kitchen ingredient - fine dining chefs, tea-makers and dessert artisans have all found ways to weave maqaw into their creations. Even here in Singapore, Yen Yakiniku recently featured our very own maqaw pepper in a special menu.
As Chef Alex Peng of Akame puts it:
“If you add ginger to a bit of white pepper, star anise and Sichuan pepper, and mix them together, you’d get maqaw. Its aroma is so complex that it’s like mixed spice on its own, and it goes well with so many foods. There’s a lot of room for experimentation.”
👉 Our maqaw is directly sourced from Tai’an village in Taiwan’s highlands, and it’s now available at Isle Provisions — online at 20% off. Take a jar home and taste the fragrance of Taiwan’s mountains.
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