HOW TO MAKE BLACK PEPPER POWDER

     I have always felt intimidated when it comes to managing my Spice Cabinet.  A challenge of its own with Spices, can I say somewhere around 50 or 100 different spices, sometimes even more? Indian Kitchen is loaded with a Cornucopia of Spices.  Along with it comes the long number of Spice Powders stacked up in the cabinet ready to be used into the dishes demanding specific flavours.  Sambar Powder, Rasam Powder, Garam Masala to name the few. Meticulously sun-dried spices ground into Spice Powders for ready to use purposes.  Mix and match and there you go with a different concoction of various spices ready to cater to add flavour, taste & aroma into the dish.
     I have never felt difficulty in storing large quantities of spices when I was in India.  You see a small weevil in it and there I go punishing the Spices to stand in Sun for a whole long day and specifically on a Sunny day. But living in a place with high humidity, mostly Cloudy with the chance of Meatball, no, no, no...  with a daily chance of a Shower.  Punishing my Spices to stand up on the Bench, I mean in the Sun has gone out of my hands.  So they've become so unruly, undisciplined... and gets loaded with Weevils.  So I got into a practice of buying small quantities and store them in small bottles for daily use, remaining there it goes into my freezer. Same goes to the spice powders. I go hunting for fresh Spices every month. But to be frank I still have a box of Black Cardamom and a box of Cambodge dating back to Indus Valley Civilization.  Just kidding... I have these spices for more than 13 years, my SIL who has a farm gave me a whole batch when I was shifting to Malaysia.   They lie tightly shut inside an airtight container, left in the freezer.  I relieve them out of the place, whenever I need them in a recipe.
     Though I stack up numerous homemade Spice Powders from time to time, I make sure to make small batches and renew them as the stock starts to deplete.  This way I rescued my previously Vibrant Spices & Spice Powders turning into musty pale simulacrums.  Also, I feel preparing small batches helps to retain the flavour in it.  Me sitting at home 24x7 with no other work to do, I have my whole lot of time for all this stuff.  But in this long encounters with Spices, there was one spice which never let me down, one which never got Old.  And that was the good Old trusty Black Peppercorns. 
      Ok when talking about BLACK PEPPER POWDER, it is quintessential in a kitchen. One of the simplest ingredients, when added in  modest amounts, Black Pepper is subtle & unassumingly enhances other flavours in a dish. But in certain dishes like Pepper Chicken, Black Pepper Mushroom Sauce, black pepper deserves a chance at the centre stage. This humble spice turns into a superstar, in these dishes. I use Pepper & Pepper Powder lavishly in my kitchen  and it is one spice & spice powder which gets used up before it has a chance to turn old and bland.
     I thought of writing this post when many of my acquaintances asked me how to make Pepper Powder at home.  They were all used to store-bought ones and when I told homemade Pepper Powders are way better & it is one simple stuff, which could be incorporated within minutes, they were literally in awe.  So again this recipe is for beginners and who do not know how to make Black Pepper Powder at home.
     Choose the fresh and good quality of whole Peppercorns for flavour-filled Black Pepper Powder.  Sun Dry the Peppercorns for longer shelf life. Dry roasting the Peppercorns bring out an aroma unique to Peppercorns. And the major factor to get the flavours intact every time you use it,  store them in airtight containers, kept away from heat, sunlight and moisture. If you get everything right, then these Homemade Black Pepper Powder stays good for months.


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Cuisine -  Indian
Recipe Type - Spice Powder
Spice Level - High
Difficulty - Easy
Yields - 1/2 - 3/4Cup(approx)
Author: SM

Preparation Time - 5 Minutes
Cooking Time - 10 - 15 Minutes

HOW TO MAKE BLACK PEPPER POWDER

HOW TO MAKE BLACK PEPPER POWDER

INGREDIENTS:

Black Pepper Corns - 1/2 Cup

METHOD:

• Dry roast the Peppercorns on a very low flame until it turns aromatic.
• Keep it aside until it cools down.
• Transfer it to a small Mixer Jar/Coffee grinder.
• Grind it into a coarse/fine powder.
• Once ground transfer the Black Pepper Powder into a clean & dry airtight container.
• Stays good @ room temperature for up to 2-3 months.
• Alternatively use Pepper Mills to make fresh Black Pepper Powders on the go. 
• Or if you are an Old School, the humble Stone Mortar & Pestle serves the purpose.

NOTES :

• Can sundry the Peppercorns before preparing the Black Pepper Powder, but it is purely optional.
• Dry Roast the Peppercorns on a very low flame.
• Care should be taken not to burn the Peppercorns which will totally spoil/alter the taste of the Black Pepper Powder.
• Cool the ingredients before grinding it.
• If stored properly stays good for about 2-3 months in room temperature.
• Store it in the freezer for longer shelf life.
• Black Pepper Powder can be used while making Chicken Pepper Fry, Chicken Sukha Varuval, Pichu Potta Kozhi, Kerala Style Pepper Chicken, Buttermilk Fried Chicken.
• Can add it while making Mutton Curries too.
• Sprinkle a hearty amount of Black Pepper Powder while making Omelettes, Fried Eggs, Scrambled Eggs, Sunnyside Up, Boiled Eggs etc., 
• Black Pepper Powder can be used to spice up the Soups or Rasams.

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