Yet another variety of true pepper, that is a spice derived from the fruit of the piper nigrum plant, the characteristic of this pepper originating in Indonesia is the small size of the grains that make it considered a pepper especially suitable for grinding.
The plant and the fruit
The piper nigrum is a climbing plant belonging to the pipperaceae family that can reach a height of 4 meters, it is a woody vine that climbs the stem of other plants. The fruit is a berry containing a single seed which is first green and then becomes red when ripe. In Indonesia, in the Lampung area which is a province located in the southern end of the island of Sumatra, it is cultivated in small plots ranging from 0.2 hectares to one and a half hectares. Here in some villages you can see the piper nigrum plant climbing up deciduous and thorny trees known in these parts as dap-dap and by us with the name Indian coral, the scientific name is Erythrina variegata.
Historical notes on the cultivation of Lampong black pepper
First of all you will have noticed a difference between how the name of the spice is written with the O and the name of the province Lampung, the mystery is soon solved: the pepper has received the name with which it was known in the West during the period of Dutch colonization, but now internationally the name of the province is written and pronounced with the U. But when did the piper nigrum arrive in Indonesia and particularly in the villages of the Lampung province? We mentioned the plants that climb Indian coral trees, the elders in these parts say that it is where the Hindu colonizers who arrived in this area planted it around 100 BC
. Currently Indonesia ranks fourth in the world for the production of black pepper and third for that of white pepper. Especially for the production that comes from this region. The good position in the production ranking of white pepper (even if in quantitative terms always lower than that of black pepper which is most requested) suggests: making a characteristic an opportunity since white pepper is obtained by peeling the piper grain nigrum and what a characteristic of Lampong black peppercorns is that the peel tends to peel off easily.
Organoleptic characteristics of Lampong black pepper
Lampong pepper is considered a commercial pepper especially suitable for grinding due to the small size of the grains. The taste is rather dry and pungent, intense, prolonged, it is also described as woody, but there is also a hint of herbaceous notes reminiscent of unripe green pepper. So if you prefer spiciness over aromaticity you might appreciate it.
Lampong black pepper: the recipe
We have not found recipes that explicitly require this particular type of pepper, so we decided to propose a classic of Italian cuisine in which the characteristics of marked pungency and dryness of Lampong pepper could be appropriate. to those who love to eat spicy.
Spaghetti with cheese and pepper
Ingredients (for 4 people)
Spaghetti 400gr
Pecorino cheese 100gr
Lampong pepper to taste
Sale q.b.
Procedure
1) Chop the black pepper in a mortar.
2) Lightly toast the pepper in a pan adding a little cooking water of the pasta so that it releases the aromas.
3) Meanwhile, boil the spaghetti in a saucepan with plenty of boiling water.
4) Drain the spaghetti al dente and add them to the pepper, allowing them to flavor.
5) Grate the pecorino in a small container adding the cooking water and mix until a homogeneous cream is obtained.
6) Combine the cream with the spaghetti, mix and serve on the table sprinkling with more grated pecorino and a some pepper.
Recipe source: Buonissimo.it
