Black pepper blooms with small white flowers collected in hanging ears. The fruits of black pepper are spherical drupes with a hard shell, having a burning taste.
The birthplace of black pepper is the southwest coast of India, the current state of Kerala. Previously, these lands were called the land of pepper, and pepper itself was called the Malabar berry.
How to Choose Black Pepper?
When choosing ground black pepper, you should pay attention to the taste and color of the grinding. Fresh seasoning is always sharp and has a strong aroma, as it contains a large amount of piperine and essential oils. The color of high-quality ground pepper is heterogeneous, it consists of particles of light brown, greenish and gray shades. A uniform yellow, gray or black color indicates a large amount of impurities that manufacturers sometimes add to reduce the cost of goods. The black color of ground pepper may also indicate the use of unripe or rotten peas.
How to Store Black Pepper?
Ground pepper is recommended to be stored in a dry and dark place, away from strongly smelling products. Essential oils evaporate especially quickly from the finely ground seasoning, therefore, so that it does not lose its taste qualities, it should be kept in a hermetically sealed container. The room temperature should not exceed +25 °C.
When to Use Black Pepper?
Black pepper is one of the most effective digestive stimulants. This versatile seasoning is able to decorate any dish, starting from ordinary scrambled eggs and ending with masterpieces of haute cuisine. Food manufacturers add this spice to meat and sausage products, cheeses, canned food and marinades.
Spice is a mandatory component of most recipes of meat and fish dishes. It is added to soups and second courses of beef, pork, lamb, chicken, and also used in the preparation of homemade sausage, ham and pates. Seasoning perfectly complements dishes of mushrooms and vegetables, no brine or marinade can do without it. Somewhat less often, black pepper is added to drinks and desserts.
How Much Black Pepper Should I Use?
A standard-sized teaspoon holds about 4 grams of ground black pepper.
When preparing soups and broths, ground pepper is added 10-15 minutes before the end of cooking. When cooking fried dishes, pieces of meat or fish are sprinkled with pepper and salt before roasting. Seasoning is added to the raw minced meat during the stirring process.
The amount of spice depends on the intended volume of the dish and personal preferences.
It is usually customary to use from ¼ to 1 teaspoon per 1 kg of meat. The maximum dose of ground black pepper per day per person should not exceed 5 grams.
What Spices are Combined with Black Pepper?
Despite the fact that in the mind of any person, the phrase “salt and pepper” evokes an image of perfect harmony, a truly wonderful combination is obtained by mixing ground black pepper with turmeric. Curcumin, which is part of it, is similar in its action to piperine — it is also an antiseptic, an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory agent.
Black pepper is perfectly combined with most spices, and is part of all popular mixes. It harmonizes well with cumin, garlic, coriander, as well as with its closest “relatives” — white, green and pink pepper.
Alternatives to Black Pepper
With individual intolerance to ground black pepper, it can be replaced with spices that have a similar bitter taste — cumin, mustard, coriander seeds, nutmeg. To make the dishes spicy, in the absence of allergies, you can use chili — paprika, cayenne, jalapeno.
Tips for Using Black Pepper
In combination with cinnamon and ginger, ground black pepper is added to desserts to give them a spicy taste. It is especially appropriate for the preparation of gingerbread and cupcakes, chocolate desserts, pies with apple and citrus filling, cookies.
This spice will give a peculiar taste to well—known drinks – it is added to milk tea, compotes, mulled wine and alcoholic cocktails.
To create a light, spicy salad dressing, ground pepper is mixed in various combinations with natural yogurt, honey, mustard, vinegar or lemon juice.
Fragrant, hearty, incredibly delicious potato pie with cheese can be safely served during a festive feast, as well as cook it for the weekend when everyone gathers at the family table. A ruddy, crispy crust is obtained in this amazing baking, somewhat reminiscent of pizza. It is better to bake hard cheeses – parmesan, cheddar. Garlic can be added to such a pie to enhance the taste.
A very tasty and colorful salad, both in appearance and taste. The longer the salad is stored, the tastier it becomes, the brighter and richer its taste. And for those who do not observe fasting, fragrant chicken breast baked in spices will be a pleasant addition to the salad.
Another option for cooking duck with lemon and barberry, in paprika and Imeretian saffron, on a vegetable pillow… Bright and satisfying on a cold autumn day. Mmmmm… Insanely delicious! To heal.
A cozy fish pie with custard will gather your family for evening tea or Sunday brunch. It is convenient to take with you and warm up for a hearty snack. Tender middle, the base is puff pastry “basket”. My favorite dishes are salmon and leeks, and potatoes!
If you like easy-to-prepare dishes, then you will definitely come here. This recipe took root in our family a long time ago, so long ago that I don’t even remember… The main thing is that there should never be any punctures with meat, it always turns out soft, juicy, flavorful and regardless of what kind of meat to cook it from, it turns out great with beef, amazing with lamb, tenderly tender with pork.
So again it’s time to warm up thick soups. From the name it is clear that the soup originated in Hungary, with its ubiquitous paprika, and then smoothly “flowed” to neighboring countries and became the famous Czech soup, which is sometimes served in a bread “plate”. Soup with a very bright taste and wonderful aroma of meat, paprika, tomatoes and garlic, thick and hearty, can replace a whole lunch, and you can have dinner with this soup. I recommend it!