Black Pepper

Last weekend we went to Kokan at my in law's house. Every time when I visit Kokan I experience something new and interesting. Kokan is popular for its scenic beauty and is rich with flora and fauna. One morning, my mother in law, pointed to a plant and said we need to pluck the pepper. I was surprised! It was the first time I was going to experience harvesting of the most valuable spice in the world.

Once upon a time pepper was as valuable as gold. Traders from southern Arabia controlled the spice trade and pepper routes, enjoying a huge monopoly over an increasingly profitable business. While Italian city-states like Venice and Genoa held a monopoly on shipping lines once the spice reached the Mediterranean. Arab traders didn't open their secret source which was, of course, India, of black pepper. It's so valuable that it was used as currency and has been used to pay taxes, dowries, and even ransoms. Even today, the Dutch phrase “pepper expensive” refers to an item of prohibitive cost. Workers who used to handle pepper were issued clothes without pockets or cuffs to prevent theft. It was the most luxurious item in Europe. So Christopher Columbus, Vasco de Gama, Sir Francis Drake, and other explorers started hunting for the source of the spice. Christopher Columbus was disappointed that he did not find the "Spice Islands".

Romans were so fond of this. But only rich Romans used to afford it. They found out the secret source of this pepper which was, of course, India which is still the world’s top producer of pepper followed by Indonesia. These two countries produce more than half the pepper consumed around the world. Vietnam is the only country whose production has been rising during the past 10 years while other producing countries witnessed either a fall or stagnation in output.  Countries like America, Canada, Russia, and Japan prefer Indian black pepper. Americans are the world’s largest pepper consumers followed by Singapore and Germany.

For Indians and especially people from coastal belts like Kokan; a pepper is always available. Many authentic, popular Kokan recipes have black pepper as the main ingredient. Pepper powder enriches fruit juices and makes it very tasty, it nullifies Kapha dominant effect of sweet fruits. Sprinkle over soups or add it to veg smoothies, sabji, etc increases the taste.  Adding a pinch of black pepper to every meal helps to improve both taste, digestion and improves your overall health.

Ayurveda considers black pepper as an important healing spice. It removes toxins conditions, heals, stimulates organs. It is also used as an antidote in insect bites.  It gives health benefits from the brain to your toes muscles and from hair to skin. It is a rich source of magnesium, iron, potassium, sodium, vitamin A, B6, B12, C, D and K, and dietary fiber. Black pepper is also a very good anti-inflammatory agent.

I have followed and enjoyed the process of making black pepper which is followed in Konkan since ancient times. I have enjoyed my first pepper harvesting experience followed by its makers. So sharing the experience as below;

1. The pepper plant is a vine and generally planted next to a tall tree to get support.
2. Pepper fruits is bunch of berries just like grapes.
3. The best harvesting season is winter. In "Poush maas" the harvesting is supposed to be done. i.e. around Makar Sankranti .
4. These are supposed to pick when they are green.
   
5.  There are numerous types of pepper. All these types are derived from the same plant. I was under impression that there are different species for all these different types, like Jasmine which was wrong.
1. Green Pepper - Originally all peppers use to be green i.e. unripe and unprocessed. Canning is done or it can also be stored in Vinegar to store these peepers to retain its green color.
2. Orange Pepper - When pepper starts ripping it becomes orange. It can be stored in Vinegar or brine.
3. Red Pepper - If it's not plucked when it was orange too then it rips completely and turns red. Like orange pepper, these can be also stored in Vinegar or brine. Or can also with some drying technique to preserve its color.
4. White pepper - Fully ripe red pepper berries are soaked in water for about a week, during which the flesh of the pepper softens and decomposes. Rubbing then removes what remains of the fruit, and the naked seed is dried. Sometimes alternative processes are used for removing the outer pepper from the seed. Ground white pepper is used in Chinese and Thai cuisine. It's also used to make Papad in Maharashtra.
5. Black Pepper - Most famous and most authentic. Best in taste and nutrition values. I witnessed the making of black pepper last month and details of the process is below. 
•  Like grapes pick the bunches of pepper berries.
  
•  Pour boiling water on these green berries. Keep berries in a strainer so that the boiled water will drain out. Typically these strainers are made of bamboo which is easily available in Kokan.
  
  
• Cover the pepper with the cotton cloth to keep the berries warm for a while. It will slowly start changing its color.
  
  
  
  
• Spread it on a cloth to dry under the Sun. It will change color in a day from green to black
  
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• Dry for 5-6 days so that it can be stored for years.
  
• Remove stems, peduncles from the bunch. Store it in a jar.
  

I enjoyed my first experience of black pepper making.  In my next blog; I will write some authentic and popular recipes using black Pepper. I hope you enjoyed reading :). Please share your valuable feedback in the comments.