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The long pepper, Piper longum L. is a pepper with a flavor very similar to black pepper, or Piper nigrum, with woody and balsamic notes. It is the fruit of the long pepper plant, belonging to the Piperaceae family, used as a spice in Southeast Asian cuisine, but also in Mediterranean cuisine, on meats and stews.
The long pepper plant is a vine, with lanceolate and bright green leaves and upright, clustered flowers. The fruit of the long pepper is actually a union of many small fruits, the size of a poppy seed. It has the shape of an elongated berry, black, like a small pine cone, and is dried to resemble a kernel. The fruits of the long pepper are harvested before ripening and dried in the sun. It is also known as Bengal pepper, used in India, Indonesia, and China, especially for medicinal purposes.
Highly used in ancient times and now revalued thanks to the success of other countries' cuisines in Europe, long pepper is already mentioned in Ayurvedic texts from India, and later cited by Hippocrates and Theophrastus. It is commonly used in Indian and Thai cuisine due to its intense flavor.
It should not be confused with African long pepper, which comes from another plant (Piper capense L.), an endemic plant of East Africa. African long black pepper has aromatic notes of cinnamon and is less pungent than piper longum, with a thinner shape compared to other varieties of long pepper.
Long pepper has a warm, intense flavor with sweet and fruity notes reminiscent of incense, cinnamon, and black pepper. Its taste is less spicy than black pepper, more citrusy, making it excellent for accompanying delicate meats, fish, shellfish, and salads.
Long pepper was a very important spice in Europe before the discovery of America. Even today, the history of black pepper is often confused with that of long pepper since the Romans, who knew both, called them by the same name, leading many botanists to believe they both came from the same plant. However, they are actually two different plants belonging to the same family. With the arrival of chili peppers from America, the popularity of long pepper declined, as chili peppers, very similar in shape and taste to long black pepper, were easier to cultivate. This is why seeing long pepper berries in Europe today is very rare, while it is still widely used in Asian and Indian cuisine.
Long pepper, or piper longum, is widely used in Asian, Indian, and North African cuisines, but now very rare in European cuisine. Its taste is similar to black pepper but warmer, more aromatic, and fruity. It has a higher piperine content than other peppers: a little goes a long way to add intensity and depth to dishes. It can be grated over dishes at the end of cooking or pounded since it is softer than nutmeg.
Long pepper is used in recipes with delicate meats such as chicken, lamb, and even fish, being careful not to overpower the flavor. It also pairs well with grilled vegetables and to flavor rice and other grains. In Middle Eastern cuisine, it is also used in sweet recipes: long pepper pairs well with chocolate, creams, fruits, vanilla, and ginger.
Very suitable to be mixed with dairy ingredients such as cheeses, cream, it is excellent in velvety and soups, and is one of the ingredients of ras-el-hanout, the Moroccan spice mix.
In India and Indonesia, it is widely used for meat marinades and curries. It can be crushed in a mortar and pestle or chopped, or ground. It cannot be ground with a pepper mill, as it is too soft, so you should opt for a coffee grinder or grate it like nutmeg. If you want to add it while cooking, rather than cold, add it only towards the end, just like with any other pepper, as overcooking it could distort its flavor and aromas, or if you want to use it in long cooking times, add it whole at medium cooking.
Among the properties of long pepper, it is recognized for its vasodilator effect. In China and India, in Ayurvedic medicine, long pepper is highly appreciated for its properties: it is recognized for its beneficial properties for asthma and other respiratory conditions, and for muscle pains, as well as for gastrointestinal problems. Ayurvedic medicine also suggests consuming long pepper against insomnia.
Long pepper is a true rarity, and for this reason, it is among our most precious peppers. Extremely difficult to find, we offer it in various formats at an affordable price, to enrich your recipes and experiment with new flavors and the creation of dishes inspired by Indonesian and Indian cuisines.
At Terza Luna, you can buy rare peppers from around the world selected after extensive research. Discover them all:
Our peppers for sale online at Terza Luna are delicious and will make your kitchen a window to the world. Prepare dozens of different recipes with this long black pepper and all the other spices in our catalog.
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