Benefits, Uses and History

by Dr. Hema D. Sane

For all spices materials, that original term in Masallah. It is Arabian term, from there it got Masala and we have two terms; spice and condiments. What is the difference? Well the lie is not very sharp to distinguish between them. Spices are generally used for pungent items. They are powdered, spices are powdered and are added during cooking and condiments are used after cooking. For example; cardamom we use after cooking, when the material is ready, receipe ready to serve. Condiments are used after cooking or after preparation. e.g. cardamom and cinnamon they are used after preparation. But you cannot have a sharp line, clove is used as a spice and also as condiments; both way it can be used. So you cannot have sharp line of distinction between them. Of all these as I have stated earlier the queen of spices is pepper. Look at the fruit it is the fruit black in colour, wrinkled surface, size is very very small but still it is called queen of spices. Why? Because it is most popular. Pepper is the term that come from ehjh. Red pepper is chilli black pepper is ehjh. But how this term has been derived. Pepper is the term used from pipali. Pipali that you are familiar, pipali from that root, the latin was piper and piper ls pepper gks x;k. Black pepper is ehjh and long pepper is pipali. Now these are the climbers generally they are grown on …………………. nut or beetle nut. They climb over and they produce small finger size clusters they are green in colour to begin with. If you want black pepper ehjh that are harvested and dried. Then during drying the surface becomes wrinkled. If you want white ehjh the fruits are allowed to mature on the tree, when one fruit of the cluster becomes red the cluster is taken up. Then all these fruits are removed from the cluster they are put up in a gunny bag, it is put up in water for 2-3 days and it is troden, so that outer surface is removed and then whatever is left is the white pepper. What are the active principle of this white pepper, they are alkoloids one is piperin other is piperating and third is cavesin. Besides there is one volatile oil and that is why pungent smell is there. What is the use, well everybody knows that it is used in curry powder. Beyond that it is used all for making pickles, chutneys, ketchup, sauce, etc. Then it is also used for cold drinks not one what should I say non-carbonated. In the western countries ehjh is the cheap ingredient to used as preservatives. Even in the medicine ehjh is important, it is stimulant for gastric juice and therefore if you have any stomach trouble, powdered ehjh is used for it.