Ground Pepper

In Thailand, people actually only use white pepper, but black pepper is a fine substitute. White pepper is a little stronger and cleaner in flavor and I prefer it for most dishes, such as Pad Thai and Gang Leang. While many western dishes are much better with fresh ground pepper, most Thai dishes are better with pre-ground pepper.

Here in the US, ground white pepper from Thailand comes in a small tin box that looks like it came out of the 1920's.

Pepper is a vine that grows on a stake and has tentacles similar to orchid roots. The peppercorn bunch is 3- 5 inches long with small round green berries. When ripened, the peppercorn turns from green to yellow and red.

Black pepper is harvested while the peppercorn is ripe, but still green and is then sun dried. Green peppercorn yeilds 33% black pepper by weight.

White peppercorn requires much more work. The peppercorn is picked when the it is red and fully ripened. The peppercorn is soaked in water to soften the husk for 5-7 days. The husk is then removed. The peppercorn is then sun dried. Ripe peppercorns yield 27 percent white pepper by weight. Since white pepper does not have the husk, it is stronger than black pepper.

If you can find the white pepper kernels at oriental grocery stores, you will find that they are frequently much less expensive than major American brands (like 1/3 the cost). Black pepper is also frequently much less expensive.

Recipes made with ground pepper

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  Bitter Melon Soup in Spare Rib Broth

  Gang Jued Mara

  Clear bitter melon soup slow cooked in sparerib broth.

• 

  Chicken on Rice with Hot Yellow Bean Sauce

  Kow Mun Gai

  Chicken on rice cooked in chicken broth served with spicy soy bean sauce

• 

  Egg Noodles with Barbeque Pork

  Ba Mee Moo Dang

  Chinese egg noodles with barbequed pork

• 

  Fried Rice

  Kow Pad

  Thai style fried rice

• 

  Fried Wontons

  Geow Grob

  Spiced ground pork in crispy wonton wrap, served with sweet and sour sauce.

• 

  Garlic Shrimp

  Goong Gratiem

  Shrimp sauteed with garlic and peppers.

• 

  Giant Noodle Rolls

  Goi Tiew Lohd

  Tofu, bean sprouts and shrimp wrapped in fresh noodles and served with a spicy sauce

• 

  Mussel Pancakes

  Hoy Tod

  Crispy mussel pancakes with bean sprouts

• 

  Pad Thai

  Stir fried rice noodles with chives, bean sprouts and shrimp.

• 

  Satay - Modern Thai Version

  Satay

  Marinaded and grilled pork served on skewers with peanut sauce

• 

  Spicy Vegetable Soup

  Gang Liang

  Clear, spicy vegetable soup

• 

  Stuffed Bitter Melon Soup

  Gang Jeud Mara Sai Moo

  Bitter melon in clear broth

• 

  Pad Thai Street Food

  Pad Thai

  Pad Thai street food recipe

• 

  Garlic Pepper Ribs

  Gradoog Moo Tod Gratiem Prigtai

  Ribs or spareribs quickly marinated in garlic pepper and salt then pan fried.

• 

  Tapioca Dumplings

  Saku Sai Moo

  Steamed dumplings with pork and peanut filling wrapped in tapioca pearls

• 

  Pork Rice Porridge

  Joke Moo Sub

  Rice porridge with ground pork balls, chopped cilantro, green onion and ginger.

• 

  Tom Yum Noodles

  Guay Tiew Moo Tom Yum

  Spicy and sour noodle soup served with crushed peanuts, powdered chili and lime juice

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