Know Your Black Pepper

Malabar Black Pepper (Piper nigrum)

Black Pepper is the dried mature berry of Piper nigrum, a climbing, perennial shrub mostly found in hot, moist region of Southern India. A good source of antioxidants, it has innumerable health benefits and is used extensively in Ayurvedic medicines as well as daily cooking. History is replete with interesting stories about foreign traders and invaders who came to India in search of black pepper. Pepper is considered to have originated in the hills of South Western Ghats of India.

INDIAN NAME OF Black Pepper

Hindi:               Kali Mirch

Bengali            Kala morich, golmorich

Gujarati           Kalamari, kalomirich

Kannada          Kare menasu

Kashmiri          Marutis

Malayalam      Kurumulaku

Marathi           Mira, kali mirch

Oriya               Gol maricha

Punjabi            Kali mirch

Sanskrit           Marich ushna, hapusha

Tamil               Milagu

Telugu            Miriyala tige

Urdu               Kali mirch, Siah mirch

FOREIGN NAME OF Black Pepper

Spanish :         Pimienta

French :           Poivre

German :         Pfeffer

Swedish :         Peppar

Arabic :            Filfil Aswad

Dutch :             Peper

Italian :            Pepe

Portuguese :   Pimenta

Russian :         Pyerets

Japanese :      Kosha

Chinese :        Hu-Chiao

Health Benefits of Malabar Black Pepper

1. Fights viral infections, cold and headache
2. Improves immunity
3. Cures ulcer
4. Fights tooth problems and bad breath
5. Treats asthma
6. Fights depression and anxiety
7. Helps in weight loss
8. Improves digestion & appetite
9. Prevents risk of cancer
10. Combats arthritis
11. Relieves menstrual pain
12. Good for insect bites
13. Good blood purifier
14. Improves kidney and liver function

 Uses of Black Pepper

• Black pepper is main ingredient that can be added to a variety of recipes including meats, fish, eggs, salads and soups.
• Add black pepper to salad dressings with salt, olive oil and vinegar.
• It is used in scrambled eggs, avocado toast, fruit, and dipping sauces for getting spicy
• Black pepper as a key ingredient in the spice mix called ‘baharat’ in middle east
• Black pepper to add in omelettes, egg mayonnaise and other cheese and egg dishes
• Black pepper can be added to pineapple or strawberries.
• It can be added to soups, stocks, sauces, marinades and stews
• Used to flavour homemade hamburgers, rissoles and sausages
• Used to mix with meats and fish before roasting or cooking
• Use dto make pepper sauce
• Add to biscuit mixtures for spicy sweet biscuits
• Use to flavour dips, salsas and cold sauces
• It is a main component of masala, herbal tea and coffee
• It is added in turmeric latte, cinnamon tea etc.
• Black Pepper is a main ingredient in all garam masala powders and spice powders in India 

How to Select

Buy original Malabar black pepper or Tellichery black pepper from from a trusted brand/manufacturer as most of the black pepper available in the market is of inferior quality imported from other countries

Ensure it is organic and free from pesticides and additives

If you need crushed black pepper or white pepper or black pepper powder, always buy from a trusted brand to ensure quality. Powders are prone to adulteration.

Always ask the sourcing details from the manufacturer. Products sourced from small and marginal farmers are processed in traditional and hygienic ways.  They also don’t use pesticides rampantly

Always buy spices/food sold in sealed and flavour locked packets . Also check out the date of package as well as expiration.

How to Store Malabar Black Pepper 

• Best way to store black pepper is in the form of peppercorns. Keep them in an air tight glass jar or tin container to lock the flavour and freshness
• Store in a cool, dry place. Black pepper can be stored up to two to three years
• Unused peppercorns should be exposed to direct sunlight once in a while to refresh them. Sometimes, stored peppercorns develop small white patches. Don’t worry, it is a natural phenomenon.  Please keep it under the sun and use
• For bulk storage on a long-term basis, the peppercorn should be kept in polythene bags inside a wooden box. This will help retain the green color of the pods. The storage room should be dark, dry, clean, cool, and free from pests