"Cambodian" pepper – how to best use it in the kitchen?
Pepper is an indispensable part of many world cuisines, including ours. However, even the most experienced local chefs and cooks might be surprised at how much true Kampot pepper can enhance the taste of traditional Czech dishes. It is, however, necessary to know how to work with pepper – especially with the exceptional pepper from Kampot – .
Whole or crushed grains?
It is generally known that while it is better to add most spices whole to slowly cooked sauces, when grilling or frying, it is better to apply coarsely crushed spices to meat or vegetables. This exact approach also applies to pepper.
It is important to remember that Kampot pepper due to its complex and strong aroma combined with pronounced spiciness, is better added to sauces in a form that will release its essential oils and flavor gradually. It is therefore good to put whole peppercorns into a cheesecloth and let them heat thoroughly in the sauce for a longer time so that through their hard shell they release their treasures slowly.
However, if we want all the taste and scent of the pepper to quickly permeate the seasoning, it is good to take a Grinder and crush the pepper. Here it is also necessary to keep in mind that the finer the pepper is crushed, the more intense the flavor will be, and its spiciness will fully manifest. On the other hand, larger pieces of pepper will bring more exotic aromas and flavors to the dish.
The right timing
Proper timing is another very important factor. As mentioned before, whole grains release their aroma gradually, which means that for an intense flavor it is good to add whole peppercorns to the food as early as possible.
In the case of crushed grains, it is ideal to add the peppercorns so that they heat up and release their essential oils but do not burn, because burnt fragments of pepper could become bitter and spoil the taste of the dish.
When you add Kampot pepper directly on the plate, you will enjoy its aroma the most. We therefore recommend getting one of our beautiful grinders, which are a lovely decoration for any dining table.
