Sarawak Green Peppercorns
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Sarawak Green peppercorns are small in size and grow in tight, compact, clustered strands of round to oval fruits. The berries are harvested in elongated bunches, and each fruit has a smooth, taut, and glossy surface. Green peppercorns are fruits that have been harvested young. The berries are delicate and can be easily crushed in the hands. As the peppercorns ripen, they become darker green and develop a harder consistency, later turning yellow, orange-red, and bright red. Sarawak Green peppercorns have a chewy, crisp, and subtly bursting nature. Underneath the surface, a thin layer of flesh encases a single pale seed. The fresh, young peppercorns are edible raw and have an earthy, fruity, vegetal, mild spice mixed with subtle aromatic nuances of citrus and herbs. It is important to note that Sarawak Green peppercorns will have a milder spice than black and white peppers, which are processed versions of Green peppercorns. Black Sarawak peppercorns are robust with a sharp, peppery, woodsy taste with chocolate, coffee, and spice undertones, while White Sarawak peppercorns are musky with a lemon, licorice-like flavor.
Seasons/Availability
Sarawak Green peppercorns are generally harvested from March through September in Malaysia.
Current Facts
Sarawak Green peppercorns, botanically classified as Piper Nigrum, are young berries belonging to the Piperaceae family. Green peppercorns are immature fruits harvested early and grow in cascading clusters on climbing vines reaching 2 to 4 meters in height. There are many types of peppercorns grown in tropical regions worldwide, but Sarawak Green peppercorns refer to crops cultivated in Sarawak, the largest state of Malaysia, located on Borneo Island. Sarawak pepper is categorized as an all-purpose, everyday spice, and the plants are grown commercially and privately in home gardens. Sarawak produces over 98% of Malaysia’s pepper, and most of the commercial plantings are found on small, family-run farms. The vines are traditionally trained to climb up posts made out of Belian, a local wood, and Sarawak's soil, climate, and overall terroir are said to contribute a flavor unique to the peppercorns. There are four main varieties of pepper grown in Sarawak: Lada Kuching, Semongok emas, Semongok perak, and Lada India. Sarawak Green peppercorns can be used fresh, freeze-dried, or brined, or they can be processed into the more well-known black pepper and white pepper. Approximately 80% of the Sarawak Green pepper produced is processed into black pepper, while the remainder is made into white pepper. Fresh Sarawak Green peppercorns are rarer in markets than black and white versions, but chefs and consumers are beginning to appreciate the delicate nature of raw green peppercorns. Sarawak Green peppercorns are harvested by hand and are sold in their fresh state domestically. Dried versions and processed white and black peppers are sold domestically in Malaysia and exported internationally as a cash crop.
Nutritional Value
Sarawak Green peppercorns are a source of vitamin C to boost the immune system, calcium to build strong bones and teeth, fiber to regulate the digestive tract, and vitamin A to maintain healthy organ functions. The peppercorns also provide vitamin E to protect the cells against the damage caused by free radicals, potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, iron to develop the protein hemoglobin for oxygen transport through the bloodstream, and other nutrients, including vitamin B6, folate, vitamin K, riboflavin, and niacin. Peppercorns are known to contain piperine, a type of alkaloid that aids digestion.
Applications
Sarawak Green peppercorns have a fresh, mild, subtly earthy, fruity, and citrusy taste suited for fresh or cooked preparations. Fresh Green peppercorns can be used whole and raw, or they can be dried, brined, or freeze-dried. The young peppercorn’s flavor will not overpower dishes and adds a hint of spice to enhance savory notes. Fresh, raw peppercorns can be tossed into salads, stir-fries, and curries, or they can be used as a garnish still attached to their clustered stems. The fresh peppercorns can also be added at the end of the cooking process in sautés for a subtle kick of flavor. In addition to keeping the peppercorns whole, Sarawak Green peppercorns can be blended into vinaigrettes, pastes, sauces, and gravies, or they can be pickled and stuffed into sandwiches or sprinkled over grain bowls and charcuterie plates. They can also be freeze-dried and ground into a spice, rubbed on meats, placed on fruits, mixed into vegetable dishes, or pinched over seafood, especially fish. Ground Green peppercorns can be added to flatbreads, used to add spice to cocktails, lemonade, and other drinks, or mixed into ice cream, preserves, and pudding. Sarawak Green peppercorns pair well with meats such as poultry, steak, lamb, or pork, butter, cream, white wine, coriander, cumin, beets, gorgonzola, pistachios, and squash. Fresh, whole Green peppercorns should be immediately consumed for the best quality and flavor and will only last for a few days when stored in the refrigerator.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Sarawak pepper is an important cash crop for indigenous communities in Sarawak, and several of these communities are partnering with the World Wildlife Fund, or WWF, to implement sustainable peppercorn cultivation practices. The WWF-Malaysia Sarawak Conservation Program selected the villages of Rumah Dagum and Rumah Peter to test this program, and the villages were given pepper cuttings, tools, and shared techniques to reduce using pesticides and sprays to develop a certified organic pepper farming system. This partnership also sought to minimize the impact of peppercorn cultivation on Sarawak’s natural ecosystems and expand cultivation through intercropping to reduce erosion. Beyond creating a sustainable system, Sarawak pepper received a Geographical Indication or GI Tag in 2003, which was given to aid in marketing the peppercorns. The Malaysian Pepper Board is the registered proprietor of the Sarawak pepper brand name, and the GI tag is a seal recognizing that the product develops its unique flavor when grown in a specific geographical region. Sarawak Green peppercorns are said to obtain their fruity, earthy, and citrusy taste from the terroir and climate of Sarawak and do not develop the same flavors when grown elsewhere.
Geography/History
Sarawak Green peppercorns are descendants of wild species native to Southwestern India. Pepper plants have been growing in India since ancient times, and it is unknown when the species was introduced from India to Sarawak, a Malaysian state on Borneo Island. The first documented pepper cultivation in Malaysia dates back to the arrival of Chinese farmers. Workers of Chinese descent traveled to Sarawak to labor in the gold mines owned by the Sultan of Sambas in Larak in the mid-19th century. After their arrival, they began planting plots of pepper plants under the rule of the White Rajah in the 1840s and 50s in the regions of Trusan, Bau, Limbang, and Baram. By 1856, pepper cultivation had blossomed into a notable business. Extensive planting occurred in the early 1900s, and in the 1960s and 70s, Sarawak became known for its pepper production, exporting the spice to regions worldwide. Historically, Sarawak pepper production has remained centered around small, local, family-run farms. Most of the peppers grown in Sarawak are cultivated on small plots of land along slopes or hillsides. The plants thrive in tropical, warm, and wet climates and are traditionally grown from stem cuttings versus seed. It is common to see the vining plants grown in backyards, and sales of the peppercorns have contributed a significant source of income for indigenous communities in Sarawak. In 1972, the Malaysian Pepper Board, also known as MPB, was constructed to assist in the promotion, marketing, and various deals surrounding peppercorns produced in Malaysia, and most sales have to be run through them for commercial markets. Today, Sarawak Green peppercorns are grown in the central pepper-producing regions of Sarawak in the upland districts of Sri Aman, Betong, Kuching, Sibu, Sarikei, and Samarahan. Fresh Green peppercorns are seasonally sold in local markets or found directly through growers in Sarawak, Malaysia.
