What is crushed black pepper (kalimirch)?

Crushed black pepper refers to the black peppercorns, which have been crushed or pounded into a coarse powder. It can be easily prepared at home, or bought from stores. If you prepare at home, you have the advantage of acquiring the right consistency – coarse or fine – required by the recipes.

Finely crushed black pepper: Roast the whole peppercorns, cool, and then crush them into a fine powder using a blender or spice grinder. Do not crush too finely as the powder will form lumps when added to the recipe. Finely crushed pepper is perfect for marinades, stews and soups.

Coarsely crushed black pepper: Roast and cool the peppercorns, and crush them coarsely using a hand-held pepper mill or mortar-pestle. Grind them fresh just before sprinkling on salads or stir-fries.

How to select crushed black pepper (kalimirch)

• Avoid purchasing pre-packaged pepper powder as it will lose its volatile aromas quickly, and only the spicy hotness will remain.

• If buying pre-packaged, choose a reliable brand. Otherwise, poor quality peppercorns will be mixed when preparing the powder.

• To prepare crushed pepper at home, choose whole peppercorns that are heavy, compact and free of any blemishes.

• Just like with other dried spices, when purchasing black pepper try to select organically-grown varieties, since this will give you more assurance that it has not been irradiated. Irradiating black pepper may lead to a significant decrease in its vitamin C content.

• While buying packaged crushed peppercorn, check the expiry date and feel for lumpiness, which is a sign of moisture inside the packet.

Culinary Uses of crushed black pepper (kalimirch) •

Snack recipes mostly have black pepper in it as it gives natural spiciness to the dish. Try out these recipes which are the best in Gujarati cuisine.

1. Khatta Dhokla seasoned with black pepper and chilli powder, this steamed Gujarati snack is super tasty and amazingly soft too.

2. Kand Na Bhajia traditional bhajias, kand na bhajia is also made by deep-frying thin slices of purple yam dipped in a gram flour batter.

3. Farsi Puri melt-in-the-mouth texture because of the addition of semolina and ghee to the plain flour dough, and a lingering flavour contributed by black pepper.

To add a little spice to the piping hot snack enjoyed in the evening, needs the kick of crushed black pepper. Make these recipes for your loved ones and get the compliment.

1. Urad Dal Bonda a scrumptious urad dal bonda snack made with a batter of urad dal spiked up with pepper and curry leaves.

2. Moong Dal Pakoda a delicious deep-fried snack, which is partly crispy, partly soft and partly chewy too.

Crushed black pepper goes well with vegetables and fruits, cheeses, and savoury snacks too.

• It is a great addition to soups, stews, stir-fries and salads.

• Crushed pepper is an important ingredient in the preparation of Chinese fried rice recipes.

• It is also used in many home remedies.

How to store crushed black pepper (kalimirch)

• Crushed black pepper should be kept in a tightly sealed glass container in a cool, dark and dry place.

• Whole peppercorns will keep almost indefinitely, while crushed pepper will stay fresh for about three months.

Health Benefits of crushed black pepper (kalimirch)

• crushed black pepper has been identified to stimulate the digestive juices and enzymes in the gut thus lending a helping hand in maintaining digestive health. The antibacterial nature of black pepper helps to relieve cold and cough, especially when black pepper is ground and mixed with honey and consumed. kali mirch may help in maintaining normal blood sugar levels as it improves insulin sensitivity. So diabetics and weight watchers with high blood sugar levels both can benefit from black pepper. Kalimich is known to boost metabolism and promote fat cell breakdown. Yes, the piperine in it may help you overcome obesity, weight loss. See detailed benefits of black pepper, kali mirch.