1. Black pepper is among the most commonly used spices in Asian cuisine, one that would go well with many a culinary
experiment. And one of the most widely used, and the most sought after peppercorns among the numerous varieties of black
peppercorn is the Malabar peppercorn. To be sure, there are many reasons why the Malabar peppercorn is considered to be
one of the best in the business and used in chef recipes - and not the least of them all is the fact that Malabar peppercorn has
its origins in some of the most fertile terrains in India.
Pepper in itself has been found in abundance in India and Indian recipes, reason enough for the British colonies of the early
years to have established their foothold in the subcontinent with the East India Company. Of course, pepper and its business,
along with the associated spices, has come a long way ever since, what with there being numerous brands and kinds of pepper
that have come to flood the market. From the uniquely tingling Szechuan peppercorn to the milder variety of Lampong black
peppercorn from Indonesia with its unique fragrance, and Madagascar peppercorns that are good for meat, and the ones that
differ in terms of the way they are processed before they get to the market, as in the case of the ones that are air-dried,
freeze-dried, or marinated in brine, there is no dearth of quality peppercorns.
However, despite the years of their having been traded in business, and despite the numerous brands and innumerable
varieties of peppercorns, Malabar peppercorns have still managed to maintain their leadership on the rest of the species.
Some of the characteristic features of Malabar peppercorns include their pungent aroma and their rich fragrance with mixed
traces of cedar and the berries.
But the richness and freshness associated with Malabar peppercorn is what this variety is the most widely noted for. In terms
of size, this variety of peppercorn is neither too big to handle, nor so small that you could miss it. And in line with its medium
size, Malabar peppercorn also tends to be widely used, what with its versatility coming into force in its use on a wide range of
cuisine. If you are a fan of some of the more strongly flavoured dishes that relish your palates, or if you would want your
guests to store the memories of some of the freshest spices ever, you would not want to give Malabar peppercorn a miss.