Black Pepper Powder

Black Pepper Powder is also known as kali mirch powder or kali miri powder. Black pepper comes from the pepper plant. It is a smooth woody vine that grow up to 33 feet in hot and humid tropical climates. It begins to bear small white clustered flowers after 3 to 4 years and develop into berries, which are known as peppercorns.

Black pepper, green pepper and white peppercorns are the same type of fruit called as Piper nigrum, they differentiate from their color and the stages of development and processing methods. Black peppercorns can be made by picking the pepper berries when they are half-ripe and just about to turn into red.

They are to be well dried, that causes them to shrivel and become dark in color. Black pepper is the most pungent and flavorful from all other types of peppers and it is available as whole, cracked peppercorns or a powder form.Whole black pepper corns and the ground powder is easily available at every grocery store.

But it is always advisable to buy whole peppercorns than a powder form, it’s because you can make your own black pepper powder by grinding the whole peppercorns easily at your home and as per your requirement. Whole peppercorns can ensure that you are purchasing unadulterated pepper, where as the ground pepper is oftentimes mixed with other spices. While buying whole peppercorns, always check its quality and freshens, they must by heavy, compact and blemishes free.

USES:

1. Whole black peppercorns is considered as an important spice of whole garam masala.
2. 2-3 whole peppercorns are sufficient to bring enough flavor in pulao, biryani, curries and gravy recipes.
3. Ground pepper powder is often used for seasoning various salads and raita recipes.
4. You can coat the steaks, skewed paneer or chicken with crushed peppercorns before cooking.

STORAGE:

1. Whole as well ground peppercorns must be stored at cool, dry and dark place.
2. The best place to store them for a long time is air tight containers.
3. You can store whole peppercorns for about 1-2 years and ground pepper can be stored for about 3-4 months.
4. Some people buy whole peppercorns in a bulk quantity and freeze them for several years.

BENEFITS:

1. Black pepper is an excellent source of manganese.
2. It is considered as a very good source of iron and vitamin K.
3. Also it is good as a dietary fiber.
4. Black pepper helps in improving our digestion power.
5. Chewing 3-4 whole black peppercorns is a great treatment of conjusted throat and cough problems.
6. Black pepper has a property of stimulating hydrochloric acid production.
7. Black pepper has been recognized as a carminative, that is nothing but a substance, which helps in preventing the formation of intestinal gas.
8. black pepper has diaphoretic that helps in promoting the sweating in the body.
9. It also contains diuretic that helps in smooth and proper urination.