Pepper as spice, in home remedies, in recipe
King of spice, black pepper which is also called pippali in Sanskrit.
Pepper is flowering vine belongs to the family of plants called Piperaceae.
Fruit of this plant harvested and it is dried and used as a spice.
It is also used for seasoning many cuisines and curries.
The unripe fruit is green in colour when it ripens it turns reddish. Both are harvested together.
Unripened pepper when harvested and dried in the sun turns to black in colour. Fully ripened fruits are washed to remove the outer skin and then dried, turns to white pepper.
Black pepper is native to South India and it is extensively grown in many parts of India and in Srilanka and in Vietnam and in other tropical regions. In India, it is grown in Kerala and Karnataka. Pepper famously known as black gold is traded extensively around the world.
Pepper used as a whole seed and its powder is used for cooking to enhance the flavour of the cooked food. Pepper is used freshly ground since it looses some of its pungency if the powder is stored for a longer time.
Its spiciness is due to the chemical compound present in it called piperine. Due to the presence of piperine, its spiciness is different from that of chilli.
Black pepper contains antioxidants and it has insecticidal property.
Pepper spirit is used as an ingredient in the preparation of many medicinal and beauty products. It is also used in herbal tooth powder.
Pepper oil is used as an Ayurvedic massage oil and in many beauty and herbal treatment.
Pepper in home remedies :
Free radicals are formed in our body due to many activities of our body and due to the environmental factors. As black pepper contains antioxidant property, studies shown that it helps to remove and reduce the harmful effects of free radicals.
Studies have shown that it reduces inflammation in our body.
It may reduce high blood sugar level and reduce cholesterol.
It also aids in digestion and assimilation of many nutrients.
Studies shown that it may increase the good bacteria in gut, which in turn improves immunity of the body.
Pepper oil is used in treating skin conditions like itching skin.
Pepper used in Ayurvedic medicines :
In case of indigestion, decoction prepared using pepper relieves the condition efficiently.
Preparation of decoction :
Boil one cup of water with jaggery and 1 tsp of pepper powder for about 2-3 minutes and finally add milk to it. You can take this preparation for indigestion or gas formation in stomach.
You can add 1 tsp of turmeric powder to the above said decoction during boiling, this preparation helps in relieving asthma. You can also add honey to it to get better results.
Pepper powder is mixed with cinnamon powder and honey relieves cough and kapha.
Mint leaves are boiled and salt and pepper powder is added to it. This preparation is used for gargling. This helps to relieve the inflammation in throat and and removes bacteria and virus from throat.
Ginger juice, lemon juice, black pepper is added to salads prepared vegetables and green leaves treats the conditions like gas formation in intestine.
You can add 1 tsp of turmeric powder to the above said decoction during boiling, this preparation helps in relieving asthma. You can also add honey to it to get better results.
Pepper powder is mixed with cinnamon powder and honey relieves cough and kapha.
Mint leaves are boiled and salt and pepper powder is added to it. This preparation is used for gargling. This helps to relieve the inflammation in throat and and removes bacteria and virus from throat.
Ginger juice, lemon juice, black pepper is added to salads prepared vegetables and green leaves treats the conditions like gas formation in intestine.
Green gram sprout salad with curry leaves, coriander leaves, asafoetida, lemon juice with pepper powder to get good sleep.
Milk is boiled with turmeric powder and pepper powder and honey is added to it. You can take it daily before sleeping, improves immunity.
Black pepper powder is mixed with asafoetida treats dysentery.
Pepper cultivation :
Pepper can be grown germinating seeds or from the plant cuttings. We can easily grow pepper from plant cuttings. The hot and humid climate is necessary for the plants to develop roots. Cuttings are planted and watered daily with plastic covered for 20 days. It provides hot and humid conditions for the cuttings to develop roots.
After the plant develops roots, plants are planted in the rainy season in farms.
It needs more rain and rich soil. Draining system of the soil must be good. This plant is prone to many diseases because of the deficiency of minerals in the soil. This plant is also prone to fungal infection due to seasonal changes.
Some of the insects also attack the plant. So Insecticide should be sprayed properly in time.
Pepper is harvested from January to February. It is dried in sunlight by covering plastic sheet for a day. Next 3-4 days it is dried in direct sunlight. Finally, it turns to black coloured seeds.
The process to get white pepper :
Ripened seeds kept in water for 10-12 days with changing the water every day. The skin of the pepper is separated and dried in the sun to get white pepper.
If you are growing the plant in a pot you have to add liquid or solid fertiliser.
The plants need a supporting tree as it is a vine.
Pepper in the recipe :
Pepper is used as a whole seed and its powder in many curries and cuisines in India. You can add it with fruit juices, it blends with fruits which have a sour taste.
You can sprinkle the dry powder over salads and soups. It can also be used as a substitute for chilli. Black pepper is added to tea.
Garam masala powder :
Spices add up special flavour and aroma to the dish.
Ingredients for Garam masala powder :
Cardamom 20clove 1 tsp
cinnamon 5-6 sticks
Black pepper 4 tsp
Star anise 2-3
Nutmeg 1
Black cardamom 10
Bay leaves 4-5
preparation :
Dry roast the all the above said ingredients separately for one minute, except bay leaves.Then powder all the ingredients. Store this powder in airtight container.
Pepper rasam :
Pepper rasam which is specially prepared for lactating mothers. It improves digestion and immunity. This rasam also relieves from fever, cold and cough at the early stage. This rasam gives warmness in the winter season. This rasam goes well with rice.
Ingredients needed for rasam :
Pepper 2tsp
Turmeric powder 1/2tsp
Tamarind 1/2 lemon sized
Jaggery 2 tsp
Coriander leaves
Hing 1//4 tsp
Red chilli 1
Mustard seeds 1 tsp
Cumin 1 tsp
Powder black pepper and cumin after frying it one by one.
Take half a litre of water in a pan and add tamarind, turmeric powder and jaggery to it.
Boil it and add powdered ingredients to it. Boil it for 5 minutes.
Season it with curry leaves and mustard seeds, hing, red chilli.
Finally, add coriander leaves.
The opinions expressed herein are authors personal opinions and do not represent any one's view in anyway, do not use this information to diagnose or treat your problem without consulting your physician. Remedies here mentioned are used for ages may not be clinically proven.
Please do not enter any spam link in the comment box ConversionConversion EmoticonEmoticon