Malabar Whole Black Pepper

Black Pepper

Black pepper (Piper nigrum) is the dried berries of the perennial vine of the family Piperaceae. Black pepper is cultivated in hilly regions of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu & North eastern states. Black pepper takes about 7 - 8 months to reach full maturity after flowering. The harvested berries are piled up in heaps to initiate enzymatic browning that results in oxidation of phenolic compounds by atmospheric oxygen. In some instances, the berries are detached from the stalk and allowed to sun dry on flat surface. The drying step reduces moisture and helps avoid mold formation. The uniform color of the black pepper can be ensured by blanching. The mature berries are dipped in boiling water for a minute before drying to sterilize them.Black pepper (Piper nigrum) is the dried berries of the perennial vine of the family Piperaceae. Black pepper is cultivated in hilly regions of Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu & North eastern states. Black pepper takes about 7 - 8 months to reach full maturity after flowering. The harvested berries are piled up in heaps to initiate enzymatic browning that results in oxidation of phenolic compounds by atmospheric oxygen. In some instances, the berries are detached from the stalk and allowed to sun dry on flat surface. The drying step reduces moisture and helps avoid mold formation. The uniform color of the black pepper can be ensured by blanching. The mature berries are dipped in boiling water for a minute before drying to sterilize them.

Malabar Black Pepper Malabar pepper is a variety of black pepper that originated as a chance seedling in a geographical region that now forms part of the present-day state of Kerala in India. Malabar pepper comes from the same area as Tellicherry, but they're picked less close to ripeness and are a bit more pungent in flavor.  It is black in colour nearly globular with a wrinkled surface and a bulk density of 500 -550 g/l. The piperine content of Malabar Pepper is 4% and above and must comply to having light berries below 2% and pinheads, immature and broken berries below 0.5 %. Light Berries are berries with normal stage of development but with no kernel inside. Pinheads are very small sized berries that has not developed. Black Pepper has a woody, piney sharp, earthy, bite, pungent aroma and flavor. It can be used as whole berries, cracked, coarse and fine ground form. Ground black pepper provides an earthy kick and sharp aroma to soups and stews, omelets or meat to season it before cooking.