White Sarawak pepper GI

Sarawak pepper is known as the Queen of the peppers mentioned, and the white version is of superior quality. This pepper comes from the Malay part of Borneo, where it is grown on small fields, and is named after the famous temple Hong San Si (Temple on Phoenix Hill) in Kuching.

Texts occasionally surface claiming that Sarawak pepper is an indigenous pepper, cultivated in the pristine wilderness of Borneo. In reality, the cultivation of Sarawak pepper is like raising Wagyu cattle: a highly controlled process to which a great deal of work is devoted. Perhaps that is why Sarawak pepper is highly valued by the Japanese, for whom Sarawak is the most important pepper, alongside sansho.

Every year, the pepper plants are pruned, unlike others. peppers, even the premiumpeppers from Kerala, India. The unripe berries for dried black pepper are harvested in the spring, and the ripe ones for white pepper later in the summer.

Sarawak pepper has a Malaysian Geographical Indication (GI), which is overseen by MyIPO, which falls under the Malaysian Ministry of Economy.

Taste and smell

White Sarawak pepper has an even lighter citrus flavor than Black Sarawak, but distinct accents of musk and licorice, and is widely praised as the best white pepper in the world. The cream-colored pepper is produced by soaking the ripe berries in jute sacks under running water. After a week, the husks have loosened and can be separated from the kernels; the kernels are steamed and subsequently dried in a well-ventilated place out of the sun.

The sharpness is quite moderate; it is more of a slight tingling in the mouth.

Usage

White Sarawak is an excellent pepper for seasoning and adding heat to sauces, white fish, white meat, and poultry, but also in rubs, for example in combination with black pepper. Just like Black Sarawak, this white pepper is delicious on goat cheese. It is a complex, not too overpowering white pepper.

Why not organic?

The reason for this is quite simple. For the family businesses in Sarawak, meeting the requirements demanded by international organic standards is, not possible without making investments that are insurmountable for them. Even though micro-credit is available, it has proven unfeasible for most small family businesses. Most organic Sarawak therefore comes from a few larger companies, the number of which is increasing rapidly.

Developments

Government-stimulated scaling up poses a serious threat to the survival of small-scale pepper cultivation. Moreover, it is under fire from producers of palm oil and pineapple, who do not only satisfy their hunger for space on the rainforest.

Usage

Pair White Sarawak with red meat, oily fish, brown sauces, tomato dishes, vegetables, or white cheese. Delicious with fruit and chocolate desserts such as mousses and fondants.

Features:

• 100% peppercorns from Piper nigrum var kuning
• protected by the Malaysian GI label
• origin: Sarawak (Borneo), Malaysia

Assortment

• available in glass (60 and 75 grams), stand-up pouch (various weight classes) and test tube (10ml)
• larger quantities than shown on request

Save

• batch number **OB640454
• best before May 2029 (05-2029)
• This expiration date is an indication.