Vancouver’s markets have a way of constantly springing delightful surprises on me. Sometimes it’s the unfamiliar that draws me, other times it’s the unexpected encounter with something so much a part of another world I inhabit, that it just has to be invited home for a meal. Like those fresh green peppercorns, the other day. I have seen them before in specialist food stores, but this time around, I was dazzled by the unusual abundance of those green beaded twists on the store shelf. Of course I bought far more than I needed for simply tossing into soups and salads – time to get busy!

The pretty, climbing pepper vine, clinging to shade giving trees, is a common sight on any Coorg coffee estate or homestead. Enter a provisions “store room” and the sharp aroma of dried black pepper rises through the muddle of rice, cardamom and coffee. Pepper is known as “nalla malu” or “good pepper” in the Coorg language. And how aptly named it is! This wonderful spice more than lives up to its name, be it in the kitchen or the medicine cabinet.

We have come to rely, in so much of our cooking, on the heat and flavour provided by chillis, that it’s hard to think of a time before the New World imports, those “parangi malu”* or “foreign peppers” weren’t on hand. Yet, there was a time when pepper was the spice that launched a thousand and more ships, all searching for this spice of life! For a fascinating and informative account of the history of the pepper trade, read this article by food writer and culinary historian, Ammini Ramachandran, whose home state of Kerala is at the heart of the “pepper trail“.

Now, back to the kitchen!

Fresh green peppercorns deliver a clean burst of heat that doesn’t linger too long, and a palate cleansing astringency and flavour reminiscent of tender betel leaf. That’s because the two are related, in the Piperaceae family. Another cousin, the wild betel leaf,  Piper sarmentosum is used in the cuisines of many South East Asian countries.The Vietnamese barbecued leaf wrapped parcels, Bo La Lot are the inspiration behind this dish I came up with.

Baked pork ribs with green peppercorns

Season the meat – I’ve used some extra fat here, because these back ribs were lean – with a little sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and lots of whole green peppercorns. Don’t be tempted to add anything else just yet. You can play around with adding more spices another time!

Wrap in foil and bake until tender. When the meat is cooked, remove any juices and the cooked peppercorns to a small bowl. Brush the ribs with a little more butter or lard, then return it to the oven and cook uncovered until it’s golden brown outside.

Sprinkle on salt if needed, then serve it up with wedges of lime, and the baked peppercorns. Add some more fresh green peppercorns if you like. The meat takes on an intriguing, subtle aroma from the green peppercorns. And the peppercorns themselves, baked in pork fat, are irresistible!

*Kanthari, or bird’s eye peppers

Peppercorns in their ripe, red stage have a lovely, fruity dimension, in addition to more heat than when they’re green. Though not common, red peppercorns when available commercially are freeze dried, a process that seems to preserve more of the subtle notes of the ripe fruit.My own home grown (in Coorg!) dried versions don’t fare too badly in comparison though, and they do add something special to stews and soups, where they have been simmered gently for a while. You could also try steeping ripe berries in alcohol for an interesting cocktail. White pepper is just as good in a rasam as it is in that Chinese hot and sour soup! And the familiar, dried black peppercorn- where would we be without it? How about a “chilli free week” in your kitchen (or a few days then?) to celebrate and rediscover all the wonderful facets of the most popular spice in the world?

As for the rest of that green pepper – it got pickled! Some in vinegar, and the rest following a recipe for tender bamboo shoot pickle. You’ll find the recipe on Coorgrecipes.com.

Recipe notes

Pick the green pepper off the stems and drop them into a bowl of white vinegar.Rinse the berries of any dirt and debris, then discard the vinegar.

Add the raw peppercorns to the cooled spice paste.

I don’t use nearly as much salt or oil as is typically required for a pickle intended for long term storage, so in this recipe 2 tbsps salt was plenty, and I topped the finished pickle with 1/4 cup lime juice.

This green pepper pickle is popping with flavour and has quickly turned into an all time favourite. And you’d be surprised how nicely it perks up a butter chicken. 😉

Enjoy (re)discovering the perks of pepper!