Here's a pungent ingredient we recently picked up from a Thai market. Have you ever cooked with it?
Ingredient Spotlight: Green Peppercorns in Brine
This is a sprig of green peppercorns preserved in salt and vinegar. Green peppercorns are the unripe berries of the pepper plant; when dried and oxidized, they turn into the more familiar black peppercorns. Green peppercorns are quite perishable, so they are usually freeze-dried or, like these, packed in brine.
They taste fresher and milder than black peppercorns but still pack some heat and a slight tartness from the brine. In Thailand, they are used in curries and stir-fries. We have also seen them used in Indian cuisine and French sauces. We threw some into a vegetable stir-fry but are interested in discovering more ways to use them. Any suggestions?
Some recipes from around the Web:
• Avocado Soup with Green Peppercorns, from RecipeSource
• Meatballs With Green-Peppercorn Sauce, from Simply Recipes
• Sherried Turkey Cutlets with Green Peppercorns, from Gourmet
• Thai green curry with green peppercorns, from Cuisine.com.au
Fresh, green peppercorn vines are not common, but if you have access to them, you can also make your own pickles:
• Green Peppercorn Pickled in Brine, from My Diverse Kitchen
Related: What's The Deal With Green, Black, White, and Pink Peppercorns?
(Image: Emily Ho)
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Ingredients - Fruit, Ingredients - Pantry, pepper, green peppercornsRelated Links
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This is the secret ingredient in my beef pies. It gives a really nice kick to the sauce.
view greenish's profile
I use them a lot in Thai cooking, and a small bit in other things. They are the original Thai spice for heat, as chilis came along much later (in the 16th century). They do have quite a kick.
view DCarl1's profile
Green peppercorns in brine is actually a very common type of pickle in India, especially in the South, where they grow. Very yum, I envy you. I've never seen anyone actually cook with them, they're just eaten on the side as sort of a relish, along with wet rice dishes (like sambar rice) or flatbreads. Try it the next time you have Indian food!
view kumquat's profile