Pepper fragrant (peas and ground): use in cooking

Every housewife in the kitchen has fragrant pepper. It is widely used for cooking a wide variety of dishes, and it has a lot of positive properties, which many do not know. In this article, we will examine in detail the history of this type of spices, its positive and negative qualities, as well as the ways of using it in the culinary economy.

Short description of pepper

Pepper fragrant is an evergreen plant (tree), which represents the Myrtov family. The height of the plant can be from 6 to 12 meters. Leaves are egg-shaped, long, rounded at the edges. Inflorescences are small, white in color, like umbelike umbels. The fruits of the plant are originally green, and when they mature, they become red. Inside each fetus there are two or three small chambers, each containing only one black or brown seed inside.

Growing paprika fragrant yourself is very difficult, because it prefers to grow in lime-bauxite soil. Fruit tree brings only seven years after planting. It is necessary to have time to collect them, until they are ripe. Ripe they do not have the same flavor and become priceless as a spice. Dry fruits in a special oven or in the sun, thanks to which the well-known granular appearance and roundness appear. One such tree yields about 75 kg of harvest. The diameter of the fruit of the tree is about 5 millimeters.

History of spices

The plant of Columbus - so called pepper black fragrant Europeans in honor of its discoverer. The plant has so many names. One of the most famous is "Jamaican Pepper". In Europe, as a spice, it was used only by the end of the 17th century. Due to its non-standard smell, he quickly became famous and became very popular.

Sweet pepper is a spice that was special and unusual at that time compared to other seasonings known to people. The Czechs called it a "new seasoning". The English called pepper "English". The spice has a mixed flavor, which is found in mustard, cinnamon, cloves, and also nutmeg. That's why it was called all spice, which translates as "universal seasoning".

The country from which sweet pepper came to us is India. Around the period from 1571 to 1577 F. Fernandez was on a trip to Mexico. There the scientist first saw this plant in the state of Mexico called Tabasco. After that, the pepper was called Piper tabasci. The scientist also learned that the ancient Aztecs used this kind of spice, so that the chocolate drinks acquired exquisite fragrant notes. Today Jamaica is the main producer and supplier of this famous seasoning.

Composition of pepper

In 100 grams of this fragrant spice there is:

1. Water - 8.46 grams.
2. Fiber - 21.6 grams.
3. The ashes are 4.65 grams.
4. Vitamins (A, B1, B6, C and many others).

Pepper fragrant in its composition contains such substances as selenium, copper, manganese. This seasoning contains a considerable amount of iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium. Spice includes about 5% essential oils, as well as a variety of tannins, fatty oils.

Application in Cooking

In cooking, pepper fragrant ground is used as a substitute for black pepper. In general, it is an acute seasoning, the abuse of which adversely affects human health. It is a part of the curry seasoning, and is also a component of cakes, liqueurs, cookies. You can use sweet pepper when preparing fatty sauce. It will give special flavor notes, as well as exquisite aroma.

Without this spice, almost no dish is dispensed. Sweet pepper can be in spinach, fried fish, jelly, soup, salads, pudding, marinades, sauerkraut products. Anyone will appreciate the meat cooked with a delicious sauce. The recipe for this sauce is: add flour, onions, a little black pepper, salt to the broth, and cook on low heat, stirring occasionally. After that, you need to add a little red wine and a few peas of sweet-scented. The sauce is ready!

Homemade canning also needs fragrant pepper. It is found in brines, marinades, with the help of which it is salted and pickled vegetables (cucumbers, tomatoes, zucchini, squash). The distillery industry also did not do without this kind of spice. In addition, pepper acts as a flavor of canned fish, salted herring, hard cheeses. Ground pepper is found in various sauces and mustard. It is also added to desserts, for example, cream pudding or fruit compote. Confectionery industry, as well as sausage products, also can not do without ground sweet pepper. And if you add it to tea, you will get a wonderful remedy for an upset stomach.

In addition, pepper berries are used in perfumery, pharmaceuticals and cosmetic activities.

Useful properties of sweet pepper

Pepper fragrant has a number of positive properties and is widely used for medical purposes. If the seeds of pepper are cooked, and then chopped, then rheumatism can be cured. It is used as a component in various ointments, which are used to treat various nerve pinches in the spine.

Essential oils in the fragrant pepper help regulate digestive processes in the body, eliminate constipation, relieve swelling and pain in the abdomen, and also have an energetic, antiseptic effect.

Using tea with sweet pepper, you can improve digestion and cure indigestion. From bloating, pigment oil in the composition of pepper will help.

Indian folk medicine is also full of various recipes for improving health and treating stomach diseases. In addition, the Indians believed that pepper has the magical properties of an aphrodisiac, if you add it to cocoa.

The harm of sweet pepper

Despite a lot of positive qualities, sweet pepper has some disadvantages. The most important of them is the manifestation of allergic reactions. But such an outcome is possible in people suffering from individual intolerance to the product. In the rest, you just need to remember that sweet pepper is a special seasoning, you should not abuse it.

So, we have considered such kind of seasonings, as sweet-scented peppers, variants of its use in cooking, and also positive and negative qualities. This spice is very popular, and without it, not one mistress.