Published 2007
Indian cooking could be divided into b.c. and a.c.—before and after chiles. In the b.c. period, black pepper, Piper nigrum—indigenous to the western coast of India—was the sole spice with fiery heat. Black peppercorns are a seasoning staple in Parsi kitchens, and were used in pre-Islamic Iran, where there was already a flourishing spice trade moving across Asian land and sea routes. Peppercorns are used whole, by themselves or along with other aromatics, in scenting and flavoring rice and meat dishes. Where cuisines of Western countries use pepper automatically as a seasoning, Parsis use it purposefully when its particular effect is wanted.
Advertisement
Advertisement