Peppercorn: The King of Spices

Peppercorn:- King of Spices

Black pepper is the most important and most widely used spice in the world and it shares a place on most dinner tables with salt. Pepper is valued for its pungency contributed by the alkaloid piperine and flavor contributed by the volatile oil. The word pepper originated from the Sanskrit word pippali, meaning berry.

Black pepper consists of the dried, unripe fruit of Piper nigrum L. (Piperaceae). It is the oldest and most important spice and commonly known as the ‘King of spices. The botanical name of peppercorn is piper nigrum and belong to the family of piperaceae. The active ingredient found in peppercorn is piperine which is approx. 20 parts per million can be detected by your taste buds. The berries grow on spikes, with 50 to 60 berries per spike.

Local name of black pepper in different part of India:-

Kali mirch (Hindi & Punjabi), Miriyalu(Telgu), Karuppu milagu (Tamil), Kari Menasu (kannada), Karutta kurumulagau (Malayalum), Mari (Gujrati), Golmorich (Bengali), kala mire( Marathi) Kala mircha (Oriya).

About Peppercorn Plant & Cultivation: –

The peppercorn fruits are small in size containing a thin skin, very little actual fruit, and has a single large seed. The fruits are picked at varying degrees of ripeness depending on the strength and type of pepper desired and then processed accordingly.

Pic source-amazon

Peppercorns are actually a vine fruits of the Piperaceae family that have been dried for use. The vine plant can grown upto 12 feet tall.The green, wide-leafed vines grow long tendrils where cylindrical clusters of the berries ripen.

Black pepper corn grown in tropical hot & humid climate conditions and require minimum 200cm average rainfall in annually and ideal temperature require for the cultivation is between 10 to 40 degree Celcious. The best soil for the growth of black pepper corn is Red Loam, Clay loam & Sandy loam. The soil pH should be between 5 to 6.5.

Pic source-smallbusiness

Cultivation & Production in India

In india black peppercorn is mainly grown in kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karanataka, konkan, Pondicherry & Andman nicobar island. India is Number one producer, consumer & exporter in the world. Our kerala state alone produces around 90% of total production in india. This spices has good economic importance for india due to earning of foreign exchange from export to the world. This spices also known as Black gold due to its international trade factors and world wide consumption. Pepper is also grown in Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Kampuchea. The United States is the largest importer of pepper.

Vietnam currently grows and exports the most black pepper, totaling around 35% of the world supply followed by India, Brazil, China and Sri Lanka.

Black Pepper Immature Spikes

Black Pepper Mature Spikes

Processing technique of peppercorn:-

Step:-1

It begins as soon as a few fruits at the base of the spikes begin to turn red, and before the fruit is fully mature, and still hard. The whole fruit spikes are hand-picked as harvesting is done without any mechanical equipment. Farmers pick the unripened berries and transport them in large wicker baskets to the sorting platform.

Pic source-starlingfarm.com

Step-2:- Color sorting of the pepper berries.

The first step of the pepper processing is the colour sorting as all four peppercorns, green, black, white and red, come from the same vine. Black pepper is produced from the still-green, unripe drupes of the pepper plant while red pepper is produced from the red fully mature berries.

Pic source-starlingfarm.com

Step-3:- Cooking the pepper berries

The green and red pepper drupes are cooked briefly in hot water to clean them, prepare them for drying but also to fix their final colour. Shortly after being cooked, the green berries will turn brown-black while the red will stay the same.

Cooking of pepper spreading the cooked pepper for drying

STEP-4 THE WHITE PEPPER;-

White pepper consists of only the inner seed with the pericarp removed. The process of removing the skin is called retting and takes place by soaking the ripe red and yellow berries in water for a few days. The skin of the berry will de-compose and the bits of skin still left on the berry are removed by rubbing them.

PIC SOURCE- BERRIES FARM

STEP-5:- DRYING THE PEPPER

All our pepper is then sun dried in the natural way, it is laid out on bamboo mats in the direct sun for three to four days. During this time the pepper needs to be turned and moved around every few hours to ensure it is drying nice and evenly for the perfect final product.

Why peppercorn is hot taste sensation: –

The hot taste sensation in pepper comes from a resin called chavicine found in the peppercorns. Peppercorns also are the source of other heat-generating substances, including an alkaloid called piperine, which is used to add the pungent effect to brandy, and an oil that is distilled from the peppercorns for use in meat sauces.

Type of Peppercorn:-

Black, white, and green peppercorns are obtain from the same vine fruits of the Piperaceae family but it is processed or treated differently to obtain Black peppercorn, white peppercorn and green peppercorn. The details of their processing technique is as under:-

Green Peppercorns: Green peppercorns are unripe peppercorns picked at the stage when their berries starts to just turn light orange in color as it is very tender in nature they are generally pickled in vinegar or brine. After cooking its berries for short time they are not allowed to sun dried as in case of black peppercorn. They directly put in the vinegar or in brine solution & then sold it to the marked in canned or bottled form. It can also be freeze-dried or dehydrated to obtain more flavour. Their flavor and spiciness are less concentrated than black peppercorns and are considered the least pungent of the peppercorns.

Pic source-esslinger food.com & amazon.com

All green pepper are processed and preserved into 03 basic style- In Brine preserving, The air drying methods & Freeze drying methods.

Most of the green peppercorns coming from India are air-dried. Freeze drying method is very expensive method of preserving of green pepper. Freeze drying methods produce smooth outside & clean flavour of pepper.

THREE METHODS OF PRESERVING GREEN PEPPER

Black peppercorns:- it is obtain from semi -mature pepper berries fruit of the plant. They have reached their full size, but are still green and not quite ripe. The fruit is picked and allowed to dry in the sun. Enzymes in the berries cause the skin to turn black during the drying process. This type is the strongest in flavor.

How pepper corn turns black in color:-

The best possible time for harvest of the pepper berries is when few of berries on each spike begin to turn from green to orange or in red color. If the berries are left to ripen for longer time in its tree, there will be more risk to them being eaten by birds or being lost due to bad weather.
The whole spikes of berries are picked by hand only for their best quality & in order to prevent damage. As the berries starts to ripen and mature, the flavour and pungency comes out . Pepper berries can be harvested while they are still green, but the dried peppercorns will result or provide less heat and flavour than berries which are harvested later. The pungency of peppercorns increases throughout maturity, but does not increase very much during the last few stages of ripening.

The best black pepper is made from berries when the spikes just turned yellow or orange in color . This type of pepper is usually produced in India and is traded as Tellicherry pepper. The peppercorns of Tellicherry pepper are slightly larger than normal, are a dark brown colour and are sold for a premium price.

Pic source- Rawspicebar

Is there any difference between tellicherry pepper & Normal black peppercorn?

They both come from the same vine. The pepper fruit is picked from the vine and allowed to shrivel and dry. Then the peppercorns are sorted by size. The smaller grain size peppercorns are considered Normal black peppercorn while the larger grain size of peppercorns is known as the Tellicherry peppercorn. When comparing to Normal black peppercorns, Tellicherry peppercorns are more pungent and provide an increased complex flavor with added citrus fruits. Tellicherry peppercorn is finest of all type of peppercorn.

When to use Tellicherry Peppercorns

Since tellicherry peppercorn is a more intense flavor. It is highly recommended to Use it to enhance the soups, stews, and meat dishes. They are also great for use on steaks and in steak blends where the enhanced flavor will stand out.

Some Popular example of Black pepper corn harvested around the world

Tellicherry pepper (India):- it is the finest peppercorns in the world. Its Aromas vary from fruity to grassy to citrus and pine—but most of all, a certain bright freshness. The sweet, balanced flavor and complex aroma make it a great stand-alone pepper.	Lampong peppercorn (Indonesia):-it has strong citrusy aromas. This didn’t taste like the most intense peppercorn.

Brazilians pepper:- it has pungent, nose-clearing bite gives way to a more mild, easy going flavor.	Vietnamese peppercorn- Another pepper with intense aroma but mild flavor—and very different aromas and flavors.

Malabar peppercorn:- its flavour is complex but balanced aromas with accents of citrus, resin, and berries. It is consider as all-purpose pepper having warm & spicy suitable for savory dishes like braises.	Sarawak peppercorn (Malaysia) It’s A mellow, chameleon pepper with a brusque aroma and a slight sweetness. A strong choice for barbecue rubs that want to feature spice and sweet with a hint of peppery roughness.

White pepper corn:- it is obtain from the mature berries that has been fully ripen & turns into a red color before being picked. After harvesting, they are soaked for 2-3 days to soften the outer skin and then rubbed by hands to remove the softenthe outer skin, revealing a smooth white underlayer. They are then allowed to sun dried. White peppercorns are slightly milder than black pepper. It can either be sold whole or in the Ground form as white pepper powder.

Pic source-finecooking & kitchen conservatory

Red Peppercorns:-

These are rare and difficult to find, particularly in the United States. They are the red berries ripened on the vine. Instead of just picking the berries, they are harvested with part of the vine. These are best used within a very short period of time. The red peppercorn has a sweet and mellow flavor in contrast to the pungent strong flavor of the black. Since these are rare in the United States, most recipes calling for red pepper are referring to ground cayenne or red chilies.

Pic source-amazon.com

Other Plants Used for Pepper:-These types of pepper come from a variety of plants such as-

Pink Peppercorns: Pink peppercorn is basically a dried berries of the shrub Schinus molle, pink peppercorns came to be called such because they resemble peppercorns, and because they, too, have a peppery flavour. It is the seed of the Peruvian pepper tree Schinus molle or Schinus terebinthifolius, which is also called Brazilian pepper tree, Christmas berry, or Florida holly. The plant is considered a scourge in Florida. The flavor is hardly spicy hot and has more of a sweet menthol and resinous nature. This berry causes allergic reactions in some, particularly children and those with tree nut allergies, and can be toxic in large quantities. It is not recommended to eat or use as a seasoning.

Pic source-atlasobscura.com

They come from the Baies rose plant (Euonymus phellomanus), imported from Madagascar. As a result, they are expensive. Pink peppercorns are pungent and slightly sweet, but not nearly as flavorful as the real thing. These berries were once banned by the Food and Drug Administration as a foodstuff, but are now considered safe for consumption. This seed is not to be confused with the Brazilian pepper berry. It is widely used in the French cuisine and medagascar cuisine.

What is Cayanne pepper, is it similar to peppercorn?

Cayenne pepper is not a pepper corn. Cayenne peppers are a type of chili pepper belong to the nightshade family of flowering plants closely related to bell peppers and jalapeños. Cayenne peppers are a popular spice used in many different regional styles of cooking

Pic source- Healthline.com & amazon

Sichuan or Szechuan pepper:-

Sichuan peppercorn is a spice produced from the husks of seeds of two species of the prickly ash shrub (Zanthoxylum), which is in the rue or citrus family. The pinkish-red husks around the seeds are used for the Sichuan peppercorn spice, while the inner black seed is discarded as it is too gritty and would be sand-like when eaten. Sichuan peppercorns can be used whole or ground into powder. The spice is one of the five ingredients that comprise five-spice powder (the others are star anise, fennel, clove, and cinnamon), and it’s used in many savory Sichuan dishes.

It is commonly found in China and used in many Chinese and Japanese dishes, but it is also a good addition to chicken noodle soup. The pepper comes from the berries of the prickly Ash tree native to China. They are more spicy than regular pepper.

Pic source-Tesco

Culinary use of black Pepper corn:-

In ancient times, black pepper was considered the “King of Spices” and it was more valuable than gold. One of the reasons it was so valuable was that Black peppercorns were a closely guarded secret by the Arab traders that traded them to the Western world. This increased the desire for the black pepper, so that in medieval times, some European countries even used it as a currency.

Black pepper is probably the most important and popular spice in the whole world. It is added to almost every savoury dish, hot or cold, imparting a sharp and pungent flavour.

After salt, peppercorn is most abundantly and frequently used spice in the world. It is used in almost every savory (not as many sweet) recipes and it can be found on every dinner table in world as a condiments.
Use of peppercorns in one or more of their colors/forms in all of the cuisine around the world in their food. Specially In India, for example, uses black peppercorns profusely. It is an important ingredient in India’s spice blend called ‘garam masala’ as well as many Indian food recipes.
In the Middle East use of black peppercorns are a key ingredient in their spice mix called ‘baharat.
French cusine prefer white peppercorn as compare to black pepper corn in their food. They use white pepper corn in powder form in many cream based sauces. They also combined white pepper corn and black pepper corn to grind together to make a spice blend called Mignonette.
In American cuisine black peppercorns are not only an important condiment found on most dinner tables, but it is also an important ingredient in Cajun and Creole recipes.
At the end black pepper can be added to almost any kind of food: red meat, game, seafood, beans, lentils, berries, apples, pears, cheese, soups, stews, poultry etc. some other example are-
Add to salad dressings with salt, olive oil and cider vinegar.
Add to omelettes, egg mayonnaise and other cheese and egg dishes.
Black pepper can be added to strawberries or pineapple.
It can be added to soups, stocks, sauces, marinades and stews.
Use to flavour homemade hamburgers, rissoles and sausages.
Use to rub onto meats, poultry and fish before roasting or cooking.
Use to make pepper sauce.
Add to biscuit mixtures for spicy sweet biscuits.
Season seafood with black pepper.
Add to mashed potato.
Use to flavour dips, salsas and cold sauces.

Culinary Use of Green Pepper:-

Since green pepper is less aggressive in the mouth as compare to black pepper so it is used extensively to flavor vinegar, grilled meats and sauces etc. it is one of the typical properties of the green pepper that it rehydrate very well within in about 2 hours so they should be pair particularly well with fish dishes with a crème fraîche sauce:

Green pepper can be marinate in a glass of white wine overnight and after a day, it can be used in flavouring some of the fish dishes with the combination of some chopped shallot and pour the wine and peppercorns over top to the fish dishes to create a unique flavour in the fish dishes.

Green peppercorns add sophistication to terrines. They can be used in countless savory recipes: green peppercorn sauce for grilled beef, cream sauces, stuffings, pâtés and marinades.Green peppercorns can be used whole in cooking or in a pepper grinder on the table.

Usually whole peppercorns are used, and aside from their best-known use – steak with green peppercorns – they are mostly used to flavor poultry and exotic sauces. In Thailand, an entire bunch of berries is added, as is, to flavor sauces and curries.

Pic source- Pureindianfood.com & Feast magzine

Medicinal benefit of peppercorn:-

Black pepper should be consumed in moderate quantities and not in excess as it is a spice and not a food type. When used with other ingredients like turmeric, fenugreek, cinnamon, and cumin, it formulates a great combination of spices. In one tablespoon (6 grams) of black pepper, there are 15.9 calories, 4.1 grams of carbohydrates, and 0 grams of fat and cholesterol. Sodium content is about 3 mg, carbohydrates are 4 grams, and dietary fiber is 2 grams.

Black pepper has vitamin C content of about 2% of the dietary value, calcium content of 3% of what can be consumed in your diet, and iron that has a 10% dietary value share. Proteins are a decent 0.7 grams.

What Are The Nutrients In Black Pepper?

Black pepper also possesses antibacterial, antioxidant, immune-boosting, and fever-reducing properties. The pepper, according to studies, can also help individuals quit smoking and is actively used in smoking cessation treatments.

It is high in antioxidents:-

Black pepper is rich in a plant compound called piperine, which test-tube studies have found to have potent antioxidant properties. a diet high in antioxidants may help prevent or delay the damaging effects of free radicals

Improves Digestive Health:- Black pepper stimulates the digestive juices and enzymes, thereby promoting digestion. This holds true when you consume black pepper, especially with a meal, which might enhance your body’s ability break down and digest food. Research has shown that black pepper has a positive effect on pancreatic enzymes too, benefiting the overall digestive process

Black pepper also has carminative properties and helps relieve stomach gas. It can also relieve flatulence and colicky pain. Replacing chili powder in your meals with black pepper can treat flatulence. Black pepper also has carminative properties and helps relieve stomach gas. It can also relieve flatulence and colicky pain.

It helps to prevent cancer & lower the blood pressure:-

Studies have shown that the piperine in black pepper exerts protective activity against numerous forms of cancer (3). Piperine also increases the absorption of other nutrients like selenium, curcumin, beta-carotene, and B vitamins in your intestines – nutrients that are vital for gut health and cancer prevention. It also lower blood pressure in animals, and similar effects can be expected in human beings.

Relieves Cold And Cough:-

The pepper is known to stimulate circulation and the mucous flow. And when you combine it with honey, the effect is enhanced – as honey works as a natural cough suppressant.

Enhances Brain Health

Black pepper has great effects on brain health. The piperine in the pepper inhibits one enzyme that breaks down serotonin, the calming neurotransmitter. This enzyme also degrades the functioning of another hormone called melatonin – which regulates the sleep/wake cycle.

Does Black Pepper Have Side Effects? What Are They?

Eye Redness

If black pepper gets into the eye, it can cause redness and burning.

Issues During Pregnancy And Breastfeeding

Though it is fine to take black pepper in food amounts during pregnancy and breastfeeding, higher doses can cause complications. In pregnant women, higher doses of black pepper can lead to miscarriage. During breastfeeding, the consequences of intake of excess pepper are not clearly known. So stay safe and limit consumption to normal doses.

Storing of Peppercorn:-

Peppercorns get their telltale bite due to the presence of a chemical called piperine which is found in the fruit and seed of the peppercorn. Piperine can actually break down when exposed to heat, air, and light and so peppercorns and ground pepper should be stored properly or used quickly.

Top organic pepper corn brand name in india:-

Organic Tattva Black Pepper Whole:-

Organic Tattva is a brand that believes in going back to one’s roots and producing the best commodities. Their black pepper is 100% Indian, grown using traditional and organic methods. Cost of a pack of 100 grams is ₹152 approx in market.

Lev’s Farm Whole Black Pepper

Grown in the beautiful Malabar region of Kerela, these whole black peppercorns are indeed a dream. They are of gourmet quality, produced in small batches to ensure that every single peppercorn is of exceptional quality. Each peppercorn is dripping with flavor and lavishness; they have been handpicked and sorted so that every one is excellent. Cost of a pack of 250 grams is approx for ₹375 in market

Urban Platter Organic Black Pepper

Urban Platter is an established and trusted brand that delivers excellent products. These black peppercorns are nourishing and are laden with various nutrients such as potassium, iron, Vitamin C among others.It has a marvelous flavor and smell and works wonders wherever you use it. Cost of a bottle of 60 grams for ₹354.05 approx in market.