Botanical Nomenclature
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Magnoliids
Order: Piperales
Family: Piperaceae
Genus: Piper
Species: P. nigrum
Binomial name Piper nigrum

 LOCAL NAMES:

• Marica ( Tamil/Malayalam)
• Gammiris (Sinhalese)
• Pippali (Greek/Latin)
• Pipor (Old English)
• Pfeffer (German)
• Poivre (French)
• Peper (Dutch)

P.nigrum has been popular within Indian and Sri Lankan culture for many hundreds of years. As a table spice, it’s used to enhance many dishes. There are several different types of pepper available on the market.
 
Each type, extracted through a variety of means, can vary in strength, flavour, and colour
 
Black pepper is the most common type of pepper and is used in hundreds of dishes around the world.
 
White pepper is a rare form and is used mainly for decorative purposes with dishes that require a cream colour finish.

This grade of pepper is obtained by extracting the seed of the pepper fruit. This involves removing the coat and placing the seed to dry via machine or sun.

White pepper is known to have a different flavour to black pepper. This is due to the additional compounds being released from within the seed.
 
The final grade is green pepper. This is made from the same pepper plant as black pepper and is extracted from the fruit. The process through which the pepper is dried is significantly different therefore it is considerably high priced in comparison to black pepper.
 
Green pepper is first treated with several chemicals such as sulphur dioxide to freeze-dry the fruit. It is also possible to retain the green colour of the pepper by dipping it in vinegar and preserving it. Green pepper is often used in Thai cuisine.
 
Black pepper is found in many countries across the world. Its name was figuratively thought to imply energy or spirit during the 1840s.
 
It is known that black pepper was used by many races including the Romans and Ancient Greeks.
 
Black pepper is a perennial woody vine and is often found growing on trees, poles and other strong plants gaining an average rate of four meters in length.
 
Being an essential spice ingredient, many chefs use Black pepper in a variety of different dishes to spice and add flavour to a dish.
 
Its use has been traced back to India, around 2000 BCE. It was commonly grown in the region of Kerala in the southern regions of India. However, an earlier record state that it was found in Egypt but it is unclear how the spice reached India from Egypt.
 
History records state that peppercorn was often used as a form of currency during ancient times and was referred to as ’Black Gold’.
 
After the trade routes were created, black pepper began to flow freely throughout the world.
 It was found in Europe, Java, Sumatra and even Malaysia. It was a highly valued spice and was incorporated into many cultural dishes.

 
Black pepper is known to be one of the determinants in promoting trade throughout the world and was mainly traded by the Chinese people.
 
It is said that the Roman Empire during 30 BCE sent many ships to procure black pepper from India. The fleet would often take advantage of the seasonal weather to travel and return with a significant amount of black pepper.
 
It has been stated in many history books that black pepper was used extensively by the Romans in many expensive dishes.
 
Black pepper was believed to have many medicinal values in ancient times. Many cultures believed it was capable of curing a variety of different medical conditions such as gangrene, heart disease, lung disease and even toothaches.
 
Its price made it an unobtainable spice among the poorer castes. However, modern science states that it has no medical properties.
 
It is still used in many cultures to treat conditions such as sore throats, coughs and congestion.
 
It has been proven that black pepper contains a substance that is capable of increasing the absorption of a variety of nutrients which include vitamin B, beta-carotene and selenium.
 
Pepper is used in many health diets as it contains several beneficial compounds such as anti-oxidants and anti-carcinogenic substances.
 There are several different types of pepper plants found today. The black pepper is obtained by cooking the unripe fruit of the pepper plant in hot water. This process is done to help clean and ready the drupes for drying. The process of drying involves leaving the drupes in the sun for several days on end. Once the drying is complete the fruits will wrinkle and shrivel.

Technical Details  

Processing of Black Pepper
Black pepper (P.nigrum) is easily extracted by simply plucking the pepper from the vine itself. The peppercorn is then soaked in hot water for cleaning and preparation. After the peppercorn is thoroughly washed it is laid out to dry or placed in a machine for drying. The drying process will take several days.

Once the black pepper is dry and has shrunk it ready to be used. There are several different grades each with a varying process of processing.

White pepper processing requires the coat of the fruit to be removed. The seed is then dried via machinery or sun.

Green pepper is treated with sulphur dioxide and then freeze-dried to preserve the flavour and colour. 

Harvesting period
Black pepper can be harvested throughout the year. It is grown in tropical climates in countries such as India and Sri Lanka.

Harvesting Black Pepper
Black pepper is harvested from the pepper vine when the fruit begins to turn red.

It is known as a peppercorn when dried. It is approximately 5 millimetres (0.20 in) in diameter, dark red when fully mature and contains a single seed.

It is commonly grown in areas where access is easy and is often grown in a soil that has intermediate qualities.

It is important that the vine be grown in soil that is drained. An abundant source of organic matter is necessary for the plant to grow unhindered.

The pepper plant is grown in areas below 3000 ft. above sea level.

A stem from the pepper plant is capable of bearing over 20 to 30 spikes of peppercorns.

The harvesting season begins when the base of the pepper plant stem has at least two fruits of red colour. It is important to pluck the drupes as soon as possible, as ripening reduces the strength of the flavour.

Once plucked from the pepper plant, the fruits are placed in hot water to clean and left out in the sun to dry.

The peppercorn is left in the sun for up to 5 days. The spikes containing the fruits are raked often to even out and allow an even surface for drying.

The entire harvesting process will take several days depending on the number of vines that are present. Once dried sufficiently the fruits will detach themselves from the spikes. After the drying process is completed it is bagged and prepared for sale.

Available forms of Black Pepper
Black pepper is prone to evaporation and will often lose flavour if left exposed to air.

Therefore it is sold in airtight bags in three different forms.

These forms are whole, crushed and ground.

The whole form has the longest life span, while crushed and ground pepper will often lose the flavour and aroma in several days.

Pepper mills are useful for the whole form of black pepper and are available in many stores.

Ground Black Pepper
Black pepper is commonly sold in whole fruits or ground form. It is often combined with a shaker to allow an even distribution of powdered black pepper.

Ground black pepper is often used for common dishes and is the cheapest form of pepper found.

Ground pepper will dissipate rapidly and must be used immediately or sealed.

Evaporation is one of the main means through which pepper loses its flavour. It is recommended that black pepper be ground before usage.

Pepper mills are often sold in stores and come with an inbuilt mechanism that is capable of grinding black pepper with little force.

Whole Black Pepper
Whole black pepper is often sold in bulk and consists of the entire fruit. A pepper mill or mortar and pestle are required to grind down the peppercorn to make it usable.

Many cultures often grind black pepper during preparation. This helps to preserve the strength of the flavour.

However, even whole black pepper is susceptible to evaporation and is often left in airtight containers when not in use.

Crushed Black Pepper
Crushed black pepper is used for certain dishes. It is also referred to as cracked black pepper.

The cheapest type of black pepper available on the market is crushed black pepper.
It is often used in soups to add flavour. Crushed black pepper has a short shelf life but releases more aromas.

Nutritional Value Of Black Pepper
Black pepper is known to have a variety of nutrients. It is known to promote the absorption of vitamins and ions and is recommended for diets.

It also contains manganese and vitamin K in significant amounts.

It is also proven that black pepper is capable of stimulating the release of hydrochloric acid release within the stomach to improve digestion.

Therefore it recommended for people who suffer from heartburn and indigestion. It can help reduce the build-up of intestinal gas. It also holds anti-oxidant and anti-carcinogenic properties.      

Next Chapter: Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum)