Ingredient guide: peppercorn

All true peppers, black, white, green and pink, are berries from the same tropical, evergreen vine. The difference in colour, flavour and intensity lies in the way the berry is treated.

Black peppercorns are the still-green, unripe berries of the pepper plant which have been dried in the sun. It is this process that turns the green skin black and develops the volatile piperine oil which gives pepper its characteristic flavour.

Green peppercorns have simply been freeze-dried or brined to preserve their colour before drying. Pink peppercorns are berries picked when fully ripe then brined before drying.

White peppercorns are the seed with the fruit removed before drying. White pepper is hotter than black, but lacks the volatile piperine oil. Originally from India, and found in most of the subcontinents’ various cuisines, pepper is an indispensable part of most European dishes.

Sichuan peppercorns are burst seed pods from a prickly ash tree and add that mildly hot, spicy flavour to Sichuan dishes. 

Javanese long pepper is related to true pepper. It has a musky and lingering hot taste that makes Indonesian dishes, such as rendang, so moreish. It is best to source it ready-ground rather than tackle these super-hard pods.

Australian native pepperberries have an intense flavour that makes for a perfect barbecue rub.

We sourced all our peppers at www.herbies.com.au.

 

Words: Sarah Hobbs. Photography: Steven Brown. Styling: Amber Keller.