Black pepper is the world’s most popular spice. It has a pungent spicy flavour and blends perfectly with all types of cuisines. Kerala has a special connect with Black Pepper because we used to trade it extensively along with many other spices for centuries. The great explorer Vasco Da Gama reached the shores of Kozhikode having heard of Kerala’s spices, especially, Black Pepper, and the lush beauty. Pepper is one of the most favourite subjects for most people in the travel food services industry.
Some Pepper Trivia
Nutritious Pepper
- Black pepper is not only one of the oldest of spices in use across the world, but it is also the most popular one till date.
- Peppercorns were used as currency in many parts of the world during the 5th century.
- Pepper was used for preservation, perfumery and medicine
Nutritious Pepper
Pepper also comes loaded with the following nutrients:
- Copper
- Manganese
- Fibre
- Vitamin K
- Calcium
- Iron
- Chromium
Black Pepper as Spice
Black pepper is a sharp and hot spice used by cooks across the world. While chillies are used often to add spiciness to dishes, black pepper adds a hot aftertaste which makes it distinctive. Since very little quantities of pepper are enough to season a dish, it does not change the colour of the dish as red chilli does. That’s another reason for using pepper to spice up many dishes.
While travelling from Kerala towards Coimbatore or vice versa, if you are tempted to have some different yet tasty food, check out Food Stop Diner, your tempting stopover! Travel and food go hand in hand and if that’s backed with great comfort and hygiene, there’s nothing more you can ask for!
Not just that! Can you imagine Pepper Chicken, Ven Pongal, or Vegetable Kurma without black pepper? Similarly, many continental dishes from soup to dessert served at the best restaurants in Palakkad have black pepper as the main ingredient. It is also used to spice up tea, coffee and juices apart from the soups and main-course dishes.
Did you know – Pepper also comes in green, red, orange, and white?
Black Pepper as Medicine
It is interesting to note that Black pepper has been an important ingredient in many ayurvedic medicinal preparations. It is considered an antidote for sore-throat, digestion issues and respiratory issues. Ayurveda considers pepper as an essential medicinal ingredient and uses it in many of its medicines.
Good Food on the Road
Kerala is famous for its spicy and peppery dishes served at most of the popular restaurants across the state. From the simplest cabbage dish to the spiciest of meat delicacies, pepper is an integral part of Kerala’s cuisine. Pepper being a native pride, it is used to season pickles, curries, kurma, stew, kalan and a host of other popular vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes.
Pepper blends very well with western and Chinese cooking and gives a sharp aftertaste without spoiling the actual flavours of the dish. Since pepper is easily available in most homes of Kerala, it is often dried and kept ready for seasoning and pickling. Freshly crushed pepper sprinkled on the dishes give a refreshing zest. As you move up the region along Tamil Nadu also, pepper is popularly used. Tamil Nadu’s most popular dishes, Ven Pongal and Medu Vada, has freshly crushed and whole pepper as the main seasoning.
If you are looking for good food on the road, Food Stop Diner at Navakkarai, Coimbatore has some amazing options to check out. The tastefully managed food court serves some amazing in-house and partner brands’ food that’s full of authentic flavour. Convenience, service and hygiene are given utmost importance here while offering the choicest of cuisines.
