A dark, papery, lichen-like spice — black stone flower (Parmotrema lichen) — central to the deep, smoky-musky aroma of Chettinad cooking. It carries little flavour raw, but bloomed in hot oil it releases a woody, earthy, faintly smoky fragrance that gives Chettinad masalas, biryanis and goda masala their distinctive depth. It is used in small pinches, dry and brittle.
Where it comes from
Black stone flower, a lichen used as a spice in Chettinad and Maharashtrian cooking for its smoky-musky aroma.
In the kitchen
Bloomed in hot oil to add a woody, smoky depth to Chettinad masalas, biryanis and goda masala.
Nutrition (per 100g)
~300kcalCal
~5.0gProtein
~5.0gFat
~60.0gCarbs
~30.0gFiber
AI-estimated; model and run unavailable.
