Pepper is a 대표적인 spice that enhances the bland taste of food. Widely added to dishes such as steak, soup, and salad, pepper also offers various health benefits. Learn about the efficacy of pepper and recommended recipes for different types.

 

◇Pepper has appetite-stimulating and gas-relieving effects

 

Pepper is a spice characterized by its stimulating and fragrant aroma and a sharp, spicy taste. The main reason for adding spices to food is for aroma. The intense scent of pepper masks the smell of meat or fish and instead transforms into an aroma that stimulates the appetite. The famous gourmet Apicius from ancient Rome is said to have sprinkled pepper on almost every dish. This is also why we add pepper to soups, rice dishes, or fish dishes.

Pepper also helps with digestion. Not only pepper, but also alkaloid components found in various spices such as chili peppers and garlic stimulate the secretion of saliva and digestive juices. They also contain ingredients that prevent food from spoiling. Due to these sterilizing, insecticidal, and preservative effects, pepper is added to processed foods like ham and sausages.

 

Additionally, the flavor and aroma of black pepper come mainly from piperine, which is abundant in the fruit's skin. Dried black pepper that has not been peeled contains the highest amount of piperine, making its aroma and flavor approximately four times stronger than white pepper. Piperine, classified as a polyphenol, has antioxidant effects and is reported to promote the secretion of gastric juice and help eliminate gas in the stomach and intestines.

 

◇Black pepper is for meat, white pepper is for fish

 

There are black pepper, white pepper, red pepper, and green pepper.

Black pepper is made by drying unripe green pepper berries in the sun with their skins intact.

Baekhuchu is dried red pepper after soaking the ripe red pepper in water and removing the red skin. The less familiar black pepper and green pepper are differences in whether the pepper fruit is fully ripe or less ripe.

 

Black pepper can be sprinkled on steak or salad, white pepper on white sauces or fish dishes, and green pepper on soups or cream sauces.

 

Pepper has different varieties that pair well with specific dishes. Black pepper has a strong spicy flavor and aroma, making it suitable for meat dishes such as steak. White pepper has a mild taste and does not stand out in color, so it is mainly used for fish dishes. Green pepper has a fresh aroma and a chewy texture; it can be eaten as is or served with salmon salad. Red pepper is mainly used in fruit sauces or salad dressings.

 

◇Should be added at the final stage of cooking

 

It is best to add pepper at the final stage of cooking. If stored for a long time, ground pepper loses its flavor, so it should be kept in an airtight container. Whole peppercorns should not be ground in advance, as their taste and aroma diminish; instead, grind them fresh each time you cook and sprinkle them on your dishes.

Since mold tends to grow easily, freezing is an effective method. Hypertensive patients who need to reduce salt intake can use pepper instead of salt to enhance flavor.

 

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Black pepper is only used for boiled meat.

Just what you normally eat is in ground form.

I will purchase it.

 

Buy whole black pepper and cook afterward

It seems that it is more effective to drink it immediately after grinding.