Pepper!!! Pepper!! Pepper!!

This is my last post of the year. Every year my resolution remained the same since blogging; nothing great but just to write more posts.

I've never been successful due to many reasons; one among them is that I don't try much recipes nowadays as I've switched to more of  uncooked food for my breakfast and dinner. And I don't cook just for the sake of blogging.

This year my resolution is going to be the same; either recipes or health related posts but more. Recent likes in FB has made me excited and would love to see much more likes. :-)

2014 has been a great year for me though with few health problems. I turned to a fitness or health freak; made many changes in my lifestyle and food; started walking more; made new friends; went for two vacation ;-). Thankyou God for giving me such an wonderful year.

Thanks friends for reading about me.
Now about pepper.............


Its a known fact that our south indian diet had more of black pepper and not of chilles in the past. I dont know how we fell for chillies and that too we use more of dried red chillies and red chilly powder nowadays. We limited our use of pepper only to few recipes like Egg omelette, Pepper Chicken, Pepper kuzhambu/curry, Rasam and Salads. But I am sure we are not taking much pepper and definitely not daily.

I do not know the health benefits of chillies; but I do know the health benefits of black pepper. Now how to include more pepper in our South Indian diet, espeically a tamil diet. Freshly ground pepper is better in flavor and taste when compared to store bought pepper powder.

1. Chutneys: 

Coconut Chutney: When I visited one of our friend in kerala last year. she served us chammangi, nothing but coconut chutney. But the ingredients were not red/green chillies as I used to prepare coconut chutney. It was grated coconut, pepper and tamarind. She said sometimes she replaces tamarind with vinegar. I never made coconut chutney like that. Since then I started replacing chillies with pepper.

Tomato Chutney: Here I add 1/2 tsp - 1 tsp of pepper and the taste is hot and amazing ; -)  The same goes with Onion Chutney, Garlic Chutney and Coriander Chutney. There is not much difference in taste and I like it too.. ;-) 

2. Stir Fry:

I replaced chillies with pepper in stir fries like carrot stir fry, cabbage stir fry. Carrot, Cabbage and pepper goes well with each other that too when made as stir fries.. I am yet to try it with potatoes, okra and other vegetables.

3. Gravy for chapatis/ Rotis

Usually I add spice powders in this ratio:
Chilli Powder                   1
Coriander Powder            2
Cumin Powder and         1/4
Pepper Powder                1/2

Guess what!! Now I add in this ratio.

Chilli Powder                   1/2
Coriander Powder            2
Cumin Powder and          1/4
Pepper Powder                1

Simply I've reduced chilli powder and increased pepper powder.

4. Idli Podi: Its only dried red chillies that I add to prepare Idli Podi (a side dish to Idli). Recently I tried with black pepper. It came out good but my little one didn't like it a lot. Hope he will get used to it soon.

I'm yet to try with sambar powder.  I'm not sure I'll be successful I think I'll have to compromise in taste for sure this time.

P.S: If at all, the recipe calls for chillies and pepper cannot be used, it is better to use fresh chillies as fresh is always better to dried chillies.

I'm not an expert. This post is just my experience and I do not claim that chillies are not good for health. I prefer black pepper to chillies because of its health benefits that is taught to every indian at his home. 

In this post, Pepper refers to black pepper corns and chillies refer to red/green indian chili peppers either fresh or dried.