Description
Black pepper is harvested once some of the fruit begins to ripen (turn red). The green fruit is hand picked, sun-dried for two to four days and then hand-sorted by size. Black pepper has a deep, strong and slightly floral flavour with hints of eucalyptus and mint. It can range from mildly sweet to very spicy.
Red pepper. The ripened red fruit is left on the vine for an additional four months before being harvested, dried and hand sorted. Red pepper is sweeter and less spicy than the black but its flavour is more rounded, delivering a powerful fruity aroma.
White pepper comes from dried red peppercorns. The fruit is soaked in brine and then sundried. The outer skin is rubbed of by hand to reveal the white inner core. This is the most delicate of peppers and carries notes of fresh herbs and lime. White pepper is used in French pastry and has even been used to make ice cream.
Tuk Meric – Cambodian Lime and Black Pepper Dipping Sauce
Every pouch contains the recipe for one of the simplest yet most delicious and versatile sauces. The late Anthony Bourdain raved about it. It is nothing more than fresh limejuice blended with ground Kampot Pepper with a bit of raw sugar and sea salt. (Prep time: 5 minutes)
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground Kampot Pepper (black, red or white depending on your dish)
- ½ teaspoons Kampot Sea Salt
- ½ teaspoons raw sugar
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Instructions
- Mix the four ingredients in a small shallow dish and use as desired.
Author’s note: I have made a number of variations using Tuk Meric as the base. I was once preparing a pork tenderloin dish for friends and had an extra apple on the counter. I thought, hmm; “Why not make some applesauce”. I put them together and it was one of those OMG moments. Try it with wild salmon. Crush fresh blueberries and mango (purée if you want a smooth texture) and add some Tux Meric. It is just delicious.
