My wife bought a dried herb from a roadside stall on the road from Chiang Mai to Pai.

She called it 'Makuan' but does not know the falang name.

It is a dried green material with tiny black seeds which fall out when shaken. It is collected in the forest and dried in the sun. You can see it laid out on the side of the road. It is used in curries and if chewed it is quite sharp on the tongue.

Does anyone know what this is? I would like to use it in Indian cooking but would like to check it out on the internet first....

just try it

from google

Ma Khan

Scientific Name : Zanthoxylum limonella Alston

Family: Rutaceae

English name: Indian prickly ash, Jummina (India).

Others name :

มะแขว่น Ma khwaen

พริกหอม Prik Hom

หมากมาศ Mhak mak

มะข่วนMakhaun

ลูกระมาศLuk Ra mad

Zanthoxylum rhetsa (Roxb.) DC.

SYNONYM(S) : Fagara budrunga Wall., Fagara rhetsa Roxb., Zanthoxylum budrunga Wall., Zanthoxylum limonella (Dennst.) Alston

ASSAMESE : Bajar mali.

BURMESE : Chyinbawng, Hmekaung, Jang bawng, Jingbawng, Kathit pyu, Kathit su, Ma yanin kyetsu.

CHINESE : Lai ta hua jiao.

ENGLISH : Indian prickly ash, Jummina (India).

FRENCH : Clavalier de l'Inde.

HINDI : Badrang, Mullilam, Pepuli, Tilfda.

KANNADA : Aramadala, Arempala, Juminam, Jummi mara, Jummina, Kadumenasu, Sessal.

LAOTIAN : มะแข่น Ma khaen.

MALAY : Hantu duri, Kayu lemah (Java), Kaju tanah, Kayu tana.

MALAYALAM : Kaatmurikku, Kothumurikku, Mulliam.

MARATHI : Chirphal, Tirphal, Tisal.

SANSKRIT : Ashvaghra.

SINHALESE : Katu kina.

TAGALOG : Kaitana, Kasabang, Kayutana.

TAMIL : Kattumurukku, Mullilam.

TELUGU : Rhetsaman.

THAI : กำจัด Kamchat, กำจัดต้น Kamchat ton, ลูกระมาศ Luk rat mat (Central Thailand), หมากมาศ Mat mat (Bangkok), มะข่วง Ma khuang, หมักข่วง Mak khuang, มะแข่วน Ma khwaen, มะแขว่น Ma khwaen (Northern Thailand), มะข่วน Ma khwaen, พริกหอม Phrik hom.

VIETNAMESE : Cóc hôi, Hoàng mộc hôi, Sẻn hôi, Vàng me.

Thank you BambinA. I will try it as suggested by bronco, I am currently experimenting with dry beans in a cumin inspired sauce, the Indian Prickly Ash might make a difference!!

My wife crushes the whole plant in a mortar & pestle but I might try just the seeds.

I've never eaten that herb in norther dish

but this herb is in chinese dish as "Gung ob woonsen" ( Baked Prawns and glass noodles, ginger and spring onion in hot pot )

(we call this herb =Hua Jiao (Chuan Jiao) )

tell us your success in the dish

We use it in a traditional dish up here called Gaeng Om, a northern style curry. It's very aromatic.

That was a mightily impressive reply from Bambina

The herb seemed to fit in well with the cumin and turmeric. Mind you it also has chillies, ginger, onions, garlic and ground black pepper so it was in strong competition but you could still detect the faint anesthetic tingle on the tongue.

It was delicious, a mate called round in the afternoon and finished it off, now I have to try it with the chickpeas...