3 Ways to Cook with Tellicherry Peppercorns

Have you heard of Tellicherries? If not, they’re the bigger, more complex cousin of Black Peppercorns. Sourced from the Malabar Coast of India, their spicy, citrusy profile makes them a delicious addition to poultry, pasta, and even biscuits.

We’ve rounded up three of our favorite recipes using these flavorful peppercorns — we hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Tellicherry Pepper Chicken from The Schizo Chef

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs. chicken pieces, cut into large pieces
• 8 cloves garlic
• 1-inch piece of ginger
• 2 tablespoons Tellicherry peppercorns
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon red chile powder
• 1½ teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoon water
• 1/4 cup oil
• 1 strand curry leaves
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 2 chopped onions

Directions:

1. Grind Tellicherry peppercorns in a spice grinder, then combine pepper with garlic, ginger, turmeric, chile powder, salt, and 8 T water in a food processor and blend until smooth.

2. Place chicken and contents of food processor in a pot and add 1/3 cup water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 30 minutes.

3. In deep skillet, heat oil, then fry curry leaves for 1 minute. Add the cumin seed and fry another minute. Then, add onions and cook on low heat for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

4. Finally, add chicken and sauce to the skillet and cook on medium-high heat for 15 minutes. Serve with Basmati rice.

Spaghetti with Pecorino Romano and Tellicherry Pepper from The Splendid Table

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 pound semolina spaghetti
• 2 cups grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving
• 1 tablespoon crushed Tellicherry black peppercorns, plus more if needed
• Coarse sea salt to taste

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add pasta. Cook until almost al dente (about 10 minutes).

2. Remove 2 cups of the water from the pot and reserve. Then drain pasta and return it to the pot.

3. Immediately add cheese to pasta and toss to coat. Add some of the reserved water if needed.

4. Sprinkle crushed Tellicherry pepper over the top and add salt to taste.

Quick Tellicherry Buttermilk Biscuits from My Two Souths by Asha Gomez

Makes 8 biscuits

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces (+ 2 T melted)
• 2 cups self-rising flour, sifted
• 2 teaspoons coarsely ground Tellicherry peppercorns
• ¾ cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons unbleached all-purpose flour (for forming biscuits)
• Pinch of salt

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 450˚ and grease a 9-inch cast-iron skillet.

2. Mix butter into the flour using fingertips or a pastry blender, then sprinkle with pepper.

3. Add buttermilk and mix with a fork until dough is formed.

4. Dust your work surface with flour, then place dough on surface and pat into a ½ thickness.

5. Using a 3-inch cutter, cut out 8 biscuits and place them in the prepared skillet.

6. Bake for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

7. Remove from oven, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with salt.

• #Black Peppercorns
• #flavorful peppercorns

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