A wondrous spice

The heat of pepper adds another dimension to meals, writes Radha Prathi

The history of our country would have been very different had we not been growing so many spices. However, pepper takes the cake for being a major temptation to the denizens of the European continent. Yet one cannot but feel proud of the fact that the round little black spice with a rough surface actually put our country on a significant place on the world map.

This wonder spice will unfold its magic in our cuisine when we follow some ground rules. Peppercorns taste best when sunned from time to time. Those of you who cannot sun the corn for various reasons will do well to roast the peppers on a slow fire before using them in any form. If you need pepper powder for your dish, ensure that it is done freshly each time. It is not a good idea to store pepper powder for it will alter the taste. In fact, pepper granules can prove to be a better option than powder, for it will add zing to the dish, all the while retaining the flavour.

Traditional cooking recommends the use of whole peppercorns, roasted or fried, to be added to dishes like pongal, vada and some varieties of vegetable rice. The idea is to shock the tongue and tickle the palate and act as a speed breaker to appreciate the meal. Those of you who pick out the pepper and leave it aside are actually missing out on the gourmet journey besides not availing its curative properties.

You can access fresh green peppercorns in clusters during winters. These fine green peppers can be marinated in fresh lime juice with an appropriate amount of salt and used as a pickle in the coming months. If you store it in an airtight container, you can avoid refrigeration. The pepper will eventually turn black and better!