Le mystérieux piment blanc

dévoilé

For several years now, we have been offering you a range of chillies that we grow in our tropical garden in Kampot in the south of Cambodia. From the mildest: the Long Sweet Chilli, to the hottest: the Bird Chilli, our chillies will continue to make you travel and inspire you in the kitchen. Our latest addition is a little-known but delicious species: the White Chilli, which we are presenting to you today.

What is the White Pepper?

Although not widely used in Europe, the White Chilli is one of the most common varieties in Cambodia. Most Khmer families have kept the habit of growing a vegetable garden near their home, and chillies, which they eat fresh, have a special place there! White chillies, in particular, are present and are used extensively in Khmer cuisine, which is much less spicy than its Thai neighbour. They have a beautiful pale yellow colour when on the plant, and once dehydrated develop a beige/golden colour that will brighten up your autumn dishes.

What strength does it develop?

For chillies, their mouthfeel is calculated using the Scoville scale. Its simplified version goes from 0 for a pepper, for example, to 10+++ for the most intense peppers that are almost impossible to eat. Don’t worry, our White Pepper is at a level 6, so it is in a medium hot category, like a jalapeno or a cayenne pepper. It therefore develops a nice strength, without being very hot.

And for novices?

If you are a chilli novice, we still advise you to start your tasting sparingly, and to dose and taste as you go along, incorporating the powder into your preparations. It is better to avoid putting your nose and eyes too close to the spice tube because it can sting! And finally, you should clean your hands well if you have ever come into contact with the powder. A few precautionary measures for a top tasting!

How is our White Pepper grown?

Hand-picked, our White Chillies are cleaned, stripped of their stems and dried at a low temperature on the same day they are harvested to preserve all their flavour! They are then ground into powder before being immediately packed in sealed bags on site at our farm in Kampot. It is therefore very quickly transported from our farm to your table!

What flavours does it have?

Our white chilli develops a lively spiciness, with beautiful fruity and lemony notes.

How do you enjoy the White Chilli?

Our White Chilli Pepper is available in a powdered version, easy to use! It can be added directly to cold dishes such as salads or tabbouleh, to give a kick to raw vegetables such as tomatoes. It can also be added to small simmered dishes, such as curries, to add spice to our Khmer curries, which do not contain chilli. And why not discover it in a sweet version, in a delicious chocolate meringue like our Season Suppers chef? Discover the recipe in our Recipe Book : Vol.2. Chilli goes wonderfully well with chocolate, as it does in Mayan and Mexican cuisine, so why not try this daring combination at your next dinner party?

How to store White Chilli?

Once you have opened the packet, we recommend that you empty the sachet of White Chilli powder into the food safe cardboard tube. Store it preferably in a cool, dry place, such as a cupboard, away from light and moisture, so that it retains its full flavour and aroma.

Don’t hesitate to tell us which spice you would like to know more about for a future article!white