Kampot Red Pepper

 

Down in the foothills of the Damrai Mountains pepper farmers, farming conditions for whole peppercorns flourish.

The hot, humid weather and the ground elevation make for the perfect environment to produce the vines from which these little balls of flavor are plucked, as the heavy clay soil offers a superior aroma and taste to most other cracked black pepper you’ll find in pantries across the world.

Farmed outside of the city of Kampot, just three miles from the stunning Gulf of Thailand, these organic peppercorns are cultivated by hand free from the use of artificial fertilizers. As the salt of the earth as pepper can get, basically.

With an almost raisin-like appearance akin to that of tellicherry peppercorns, the flavor is something very different than the usual ones associated with Asian pepper.

What you’re tasting here is an ancient tradition. The use of Kampot peppercorns dates back to the 13th century when the ancient tradition of farming these was largely the same as it is now.

For centuries, the people of the region enjoyed the delights of its smokey, floral notes, so much so that French colonials in the 19th and 20th centuries started exporting it back to the West, where they really become a fixture of food cooking in Europe.

Production halted during the Cambodian Civil War between 1967-1975 but the turn of the millennium has seen a boom in its popularity with even Anthony Bourdain name-checking it on one of his shows. If it got his approval, then you know we’re dealing with something of high caliber.

How do you use Kampot peppers?

Like everything in your spice bag, specific dishes can bring out the best of these peppers.

So, how do you cook Kampot peppercorns?

The more fruit-like notes of the crushed red pepper are ideal for sweeter dessert dishes, while the white’s more subtle flavor is perfect for a soup or a broth, akin to the West African alligator pepper.

Why not even try and season an otherwise boring bowl of mashed potatoes with the white? That subtle hint will thrill and bring a background noise

Kampot black peppercorns are largely used on red meats as a luxurious topping though it’s important to add right at the very end or leave on the side for your guests as, like garlic, it can become rather bitter if overcooked.

Take a peppercorn sauce to the next level with a few of these flavorful bullets or bring smoked, floral tones to balance the saltiness of a fish sauce by using the cracked black pepper.

Coarse black pepper and lime would also make a wonderful topping to grilled chicken or seafood such as crab.

Honestly, the possibilities are endless, even including adding another depth of layer to exotic butter to stuff meat, fish, and whole peppers with. Just imagine how much more interesting a roast chicken would be if the white pepper was perfuming the skin while it cooked?

Or a chicken kiev packed full of garlic butter boasting the citrusy charm of the black peppercorns.

As much of a luxury as these can be, don’t be afraid to sprinkle Kampot peppers on your whole foods.