Long Pepper

Common Name

Also known as Javanese Long Pepper.  Although related to black pepper, long pepper is slightly more pungent and resembles small, slender pine cones, rather than corns or spheres. Black pepper and long pepper are often confused historically because the Romans, who were aware of both, referred to both long pepper and black pepper as piper.

Long pepper has a slightly sweet smell and complex flavor that some prefer to black pepper.

Used for centuries in the Mediterranean, long pepper was extremely popular before being replaced by chili peppers. Chili peppers have a similar taste to long pepper and can easily be cultivated in many parts of the world. Widespread cultivation led to the eventual decline in popularity of long pepper.

Before the advent of chili peppers, long pepper was almost as popular as black pepper is today. Long pepper was an important item of trade in India and was used to cover the taste of many poorly preserved foods. Attila the Hun and Alaric the Visigoth demanded long pepper as ransom during the attempted takeover of Rome. Black pepper too was demanded in ransom several times during is long and colorful history.

Rarely used in cooking today, long pepper can sometimes be found in Indian cuisine. Long pepper is the fruit of large flowering vines which produce small catkins made up of tiny black fruits. The whole catkins are removed and dried to produce long pepper.

Purported Medicinal Qualities*

Historically, long pepper was combined with ginger and black to pepper to form trikatu, a foundation for many different types of natural medicine. It was used as a rejuvenator and to treat issues relating to the spleen.

Historically, long pepper has been used to:

• Treat asthma
• As an anti-bacterial
• Stimulate appetite
• As a carminative
• Aid digestion
• Sooth sore muscles
• Reduce inflammation
• Relieve cough symptoms

*Always check with your healthcare provider before consuming, inhaling or otherwise ingesting any non-prescription or prescription natural or homeopathic substance or pharmaceutical. ChefatHand.com is not recommending, suggesting, inferring or otherwise endorsing the use of any herb or spice as a medication.

Culinary/Suggested Use

Not very common outside of India, long pepper can also still be found in areas of Africa and Asia. Often used to season lamb, long pepper has a slightly sweet scent, but a very hot and pungent taste that is much stronger than black pepper. Sold whole, long pepper should be ground or crushed before use.  Food for thought:

• Add ground or crushed long pepper to soups or stews, especially those containing lamb or mutton
• Substitute long pepper for black pepper, but use slightly less
• Add long pepper to cream or butter based sauces
• Replace black pepper with long pepper for steak au poivre
• Grind long pepper over goat cheese and serve with crackers as an appetizer
• Add crushed long pepper to meat marinades

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