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
- Fights viral infections, cold and headache
- Improves immunity
- Cures ulcer
- Fights tooth problems and bad breath
- Treats asthma
- Fights depression and anxiety
- Helps in weight loss
- Improves digestion & appetite
- Prevents risk of cancer
- Combats arthritis
- Relieves menstrual pain
- Good for insect bites
- Good blood purifier
- 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
Difference between LAW Black Pepper and ordinary Black Pepper |
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LAW- Malabar Black Pepper/ Tellichery Black Pepper |
Ordinary Black Pepper
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We source organically grown black pepper from small and marginal organic farmers networks in Western Ghats region of Kerala |
As the bigger manufacturers/brands opt for large scale procurement, collect spices from different countries. |
Partnered with the best organic farmers in Kerala only who have a credible track record |
In bulk procurement it would be difficult to source only organic produce |
Only local and indigenous varieties sourced. No genetically modified, no hybrid products sold |
Most of the spices in the market now are hybrid varieties or mixed. |
genuine source certification details of our farmers network is accessible |
Normally companies dont share sourcing details |
Our spices are free from pesticides, fertilizers and using only traditional farming techniques |
Not an easy task for a normal company, Only ethical and non-profitable cooperatives can claim this |
Our spices are tested for the presence of heavy metals and it is free from all types of heavy metals
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Percentage of heavy metals like lead, zinc, nickel, copper, iron, mercury, cadmium and arsenic are very common in market available spices |
We don’t sell oil extracted polished or artificial color added spices. It’s natural qualities are kept intact in raw form |
Oil extracted and polished allspices is widely available in market that lacks natural strong aroma |
We adopt steam sterilization of all our spices and then dry in solar dryer. |
Spices are generally dried in sun only and don’t adopt any modern way of harvesting and drying techniques |
Our farmers are technically supported by CFTRI, Mysore for harvesting, drying and preserving of spices without nutrition loss |
Generally farmers are not getting any such education on drying process & preservation of spices |
We don’t promote the use of preservatives or additives to enhance the shelf life |
Chemical preservatives are mostly added to get better shelf life and rich black colour |
Due to the rampant problem of adulteration in spices powders, we produce our spices powders in-house only.
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Market available spice powders are produced with third party manufacturing. Only labeling is don’t by big brands |
We adopt only eco-friendly, non-plastic packing like tin or glass to sell spices/powders |
Spice powders are generally packed in plastic pouches, which is health hazardous |