Everything about Malabathrum totally explained
Malabathrum, also known as
Malobathrum or
Malabar leaf, is the name used in classical and medieval texts for the leaf of the plant
Cinnamomum tamala (sometimes given as
Cinnamomum tejpata). In ancient
Greece and
Rome, the leaves were used to prepare a fragrant oil, called
Oleum Malabathri, and were therefore valuable. The leaves are mentioned in the
1st century Greek text
Periplus Maris Erytraei as one of the major exports of the
Tamil kingdoms of
southern India. The name is also used in mediaeval texts to describe the dried leaves of a number of
trees of the genus
Cinnamomum, which were thought to have
medicinal properties.
The leaves, known as
tejpat in
Nepali,
tējapattā or
tejpatta in
Hindi, and
tamalpatra in
Marathi, are used extensively in the cuisines of
India,
Nepal, and
Bhutan, particularly in the
Moghul cuisine of
North India and Nepal and in
Tsheringma herbal tea in Bhutan. They are often erroneously labeled as "Indian
bay leaves," though the bay leaf is from the
Bay Laurel, a tree of Mediterranean origin in a different genus, and the appearance and aroma of the two are quite different. Bay leaves are shorter and light to medium green in color, with one large vein down the length of the leaf;
photo
while
tejpat are about twice as long and wider than laurel leaves. They are usually olive green in color, may have some brownish spots and have three veins down the length of the leaf.
photo True
tejpat leaves impart a strong cassia- or cinnamon-like aroma to dishes, while the bay leaf's aroma is more reminiscent of pine and lemon. Indian grocery stores usually carry true
tejpat leaves. Some grocers may only offer Turkish bay leaves, in regions where true tejpat is unavailable.
The bark is also sometimes used for cooking, although it's regarded as inferior to
true cinnamon or
cassia.
"
Malabar" is the name of a region on the west coast of southern
India that forms the northern portion of the present-day state of
Kerala. The word "Mala" or "Malaya" means "Mountain" in the
Tamil and
Malayalam languages, as also in
Sanskrit. The word "Malabathrum" is also thought to have been derived from the
Sanskrit tamālapattram (तमालपत्त्रम्), literally meaning "dark-tree leaves."
Related species
Further Information
Get more info on 'Malabathrum'.
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