Black pepper is native to South Asia and Southeast Asia, and has been known to Indian cooking since at least 2000 BCE. J. Innes Miller notes that while pepper was grown in southern Thailand and in Malaysia, its most important source was India, particularly the Chera dynasty, in what is now the state of Kerala.
Where did black pepper originally come from?
Black pepper is native to the Malabar Coast of India and is one of the earliest spices known. Widely used as a spice around the world, pepper also has a limited usage in medicine as a carminative (to relieve flatulence) and as a stimulant of gastric secretions.
When did humans start using black pepper?
The world’s most commonly used spice, Piper nigrum, starts life as berries in a clump on a flowering vine (like grapes). Native to Southern India, today pepper is grown throughout the tropics. Archaeological evidence of people using pepper goes back to at least 2000 BC in India.
Who first used black pepper?
Black pepper originated in Kerala, India and has been exported from South Asia for about 4,000 years. Pepper was essential seasoning in India (it was often referred to as “black gold”) and was of great value as a traditional medicine, featuring in early medicinal documents such as the Susrutha Samhita.
How did black pepper become so popular?
Black pepper is so common because it’s the oldest spice that was widely used, mostly thanks to Roman conquest and trading. Pepper was well known and used in India, all way back in 2000 BC.
Which is the king of all spices?
Black Pepper is considered the ‘king of spices’ and rightfully so. Unlike its perennial companion, salt, which is easily available in any nook and corner of the world, the black pepper owes its origins to Kerala – a state in South India. Pepper, in fact finds a mention in Greek and Roman history. You may also read,
Why was black pepper so valuable?
Pepper was so valuable, that it was used as currency or collateral. It is rumored that Alaric I (King of the Visigoths) as well as Attila (Ruler of the Huns) both demanded a ransom of black pepper (over a ton worth) in order to stop attacking Rome in the 5th century. Check the answer of
Who first used salt and pepper?
It’s Louis XIV of France who was said to have brought the two together (only the rich could afford pepper), preferring as he did his food to be lightly seasoned with just salt and pepper, forming the basis for modern cooking.
Is black pepper bad for you?
Is black pepper bad for you? While black pepper doesn’t have the same negative effect on your health as salt, eating too much may cause discomfort. “Mostly, too much black pepper can upset your stomach,” says Culbertson. “Overdoing it may lead to the feeling of heartburn or indigestion.” Read:
How did pepper change the world?
Pepper, along with other spices such as cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, was such a hot commodity five centuries ago that it drove nations to sail across vast oceans searching for new routes to the spice-rich Orient.
Why do we use salt and black pepper?
Salt also helped preserve food before refrigeration. And, Herz says, studies have shown that the more salt people eat, the more they crave it. So salt had a foothold in cooking, and pepper was one of many spices used in heavily seasoned dishes. But after the Middle Ages, the use of most spices decreased.
Why do we use black pepper?
Black pepper and its active compound piperine may have potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Laboratory studies suggest that black pepper may improve cholesterol levels, blood sugar control, and brain and gut health.
Why do chefs put salt and pepper on everything?
In European cooking, salt reigned supreme, and pepper was one of many spices used in heavily seasoned dishes. When they met, they were destined to be. Or, rather, it was destined that they would meet. … The seasonings pair well with just about everything and they go together like — well, salt and pepper.
Who is the queen of spices Who is the king of spices?
Known as the “King” of spices, black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) and the “Queen” of spices, cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum M.), both perennial crops of the tropics, are the most important and most widely sought after spice crops of the world.
Which country is the king of spices?
universally acclaimed as “Black Gold” and also known as “King of Spices” is one of the great economically important agricultural commodities of commerce and trade in India since pre-historic period.
