Also known as

Safed Miri.

Description

White pepper actually comes from the same plant species as black peppercorns, but the peppercorns have been allowed to fully ripen before having the black outer husks removed.

Ground white peppercorns go especially well in sauces, on light colored meats such as fish, with eggs, and even in mashed potatoes. These peppercorns have a slightly hotter flavor and help keep light colored dishes and sauces ascetically appealing. White peppercorns have a unique aroma that is not only hot, but slightly musky. They are the preferred pepper in much of the world.

Powdered white peppercorn- This can be prepared by roasting the whole corns and then crushing them into fine powder. A blender may be used for this purpose as peppercorns are hard to be ground into powder in mortar and pestle. White pepper powder is used for marinades or stews or soups.

Finely crushed white pepper- This can be prepared by roasting the whole peppercorns and then crushing them into fine powder. A blender may be used for this purpose, however care should be taken to avoid grounding the peppercorns into too fine powder.The finely crushed pepper corns are used for marinades or stews or soups.

Coarsely crushed white pepper - Roast the corns, cool them and then crush them coarsely in a hand held pepper miller. It is best to ground the corns, just before sprinkling on the salads or stir fry vegetables.

How to select

Avoid purchasing pre ground or crushed pepper, because its volatile aromatic notes quickly dissipate and what's left is single-dimensional hotness. Also, poorer quality peppercorns are commonly preground. Whole peppercorns should be heavy, compact and free of any blemishes. Just like with other dried spices, when purchasing white pepper try to select that which is organically grown since this will give you more assurance that it has not been irradiated (among other potential adverse effects, irradiating white pepper may lead to a significant decrease in its vitamin C content. While buying packaged crushed peppercorn, check the expiry date and feel for lumpiness( sign of moisture inside the packet.)

Culinary Uses

" Crushed white pepper matches well with: cheese, eggs, fish, game, lamb, pork, poultry, salad, sausages, soup, steaks, strawberries, tomatoes, paneer .
" Make mignonette sauce for raw oysters by combining red wine vinegar with chopped shallots, grated lemon, sea salt, and finely crushed black pepper.
" Food Affinities: Most savory foods, especially balsamic vinegar, beef, brandy, curry, fi, red wine, red wine vinegar, seafood, vegetable stews.

How to store

Crushed white pepper should be kept in a tightly sealed glass container in a cool, dark and dry place. Whole peppercorns will keep almost indefinitely, while crushed pepper will stay fresh for about three months

Health Benefits

" Crushed white pepper stimulates the taste buds in such a way that an alert is sent to the stomach to increase hydrochloric acid secretion, thereby improving digestion.
" Pepper is an excellent source of manganese, a very good source of iron and vitamin K, and a good source of dietary fiber
" The white peppercorns has long been recognized as a carminitive, (a substance that helps prevent the formation of intestinal gas), a property likely due to its beneficial effect of stimulating hydrochloric acid production. In addition, black pepper has diaphoretic (promotes sweating), and diuretic (promotes urination) properties.