Cinnamon and pepper

Cinnamon and pepper are two of the most widely used spices in India. Each of them has a distinctive taste and aroma.

Cinnamon:

This is a highly pungent spice. It is a dried bark. Thin long rolls of cinnamon are also used for gravies. The bark of the tree is thick and brownish in colour. Cinnamon has a sweet taste. It can be ground into powder too. Generally, cinnamon is used in puddings, pies, some varieties of wine, rice varieties, fruit masalas, cakes and stews. It is also used in pulaos or biryani.

Cinnamon helps in digestion. A decoction of cinnamon is good for coughs and colds.

Cinnamon consists of fats, carbohydrates, ash, fibre, iron and phosphorus. It is also excellent as a mouth freshener. For acne and headaches, cinnamon powder paste can be applied.

Pepper

Pepper brings pep into the dishes. Black, green and white pepper are the different berries got from the plant. The colours are varied as they are plucked at various stages of maturity.

Pepper powder is versatile and is used for a variety of food such as salads, soups, stocks, etc. Pepper powder is also used as masala mixes for fruit salads, gravies, curries, sambhar, rasam, sandwiches and a whole lot of other foods.

White pepper is used for hair and scalp disorders too. Green pepper berries are not as hot as the black ones.

In the Far East, the long variety of pepper is common. Pepper is found largely in the Western Ghats in India. Pepper contains a little of everything. Some of the contents are phosphorous, iron, calcium and thiamine.

Black pepper is a digestive, aromatic, pungent, stimulant and is also a nerve tonic. Black pepper is an appetiser. It is also had for cough and cold conditions. Since it is excellent for digestive disorders, a decoction of pepper is made for the same. It is also added to buttermilk. Pepper is used in all kinds of soups.

The green pepper is used in making pickles. The bunch is washed and immersed in limejuice and salt with green chillies.