Kampot Pepper

The Kampot pepper

Kampot pepper is cultivated in the south of Cambodia on the Gulf of Thailand (formerly the Gulf of Siam), and this since a millennium. This region benefits from ideal conditions for the lianas to flourish: a rich soil conducive to the growth of lianas, a tropical climate with very regular rainfall, a sea breeze that gives a naturally salty note.

This ancestral culture almost disappeared under the Khmer Rouge regime, who systematically destroyed all the plantations.

Thanks to the relentlessness of small Cambodian farmers who were driven off their land but who had hidden their plants, production was revived in 2004. Faced with competition from neighbouring countries, Cambodia opted for a unique product both in terms of production based on organic agriculture (natural manure, no chemical fertilizers) and harvesting (by hand, grain by grain, many successive sorts, natural drying in the sun), resulting in a pepper of exceptional quality.

As a consequence of the demand for very high quality, the production of Kampot peppers remains limited, even confidential: 80 to 100 tons produced per year while neighbouring Vietnam produces more than 150,000 tons per year out of a world total of more than 500,000 tons.

The varieties of Kampot pepper

Kampot pepper comes in 2 main families:

PIPER NIGRUM or peppercorn, 

Green Pepper

Generally not exported except by Les EPICES DE CAHAN

Green pepper is harvested in autumn, when it is still young and tender. It has a spicy and more pronounced taste. Powerful and non-spicy, its aromas literally explode in the mouth. It is kept either dried or in salt to keep its suppleness and freshness.

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Black Pepper

From January onwards, the ripening bunches are picked by hand. However, the pepper has had time to develop strong and delicate aromas. Its taste is very intense and sweet at the same time, revealing flowery notes of eucalyptus and fresh mint. The bunches are then destemmed, washed, scalded and dried in the sun for 2 to 3 days. The berries are then treated and selected for their size and density.

Red Pepper

The pepper which has been allowed to ripen (and in the right amount of sunshine) takes on a red colour. It is then picked from March onwards, grain by grain or deseeded by hand, then washed, scalded and finally left to dry for 3 or 4 days. Its unique taste, less spicy than black pepper, offers sweet notes of red fruits and honey. White pepper is made from the dried red peppercorns from which the husk (the pericarp) has been removed so that only the heart of the pepper remains.

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PIPER RETROFRACTUM or long pepper

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Long Green Pepper

Generally not exported except by Les EPICES DE CAHAN

Made from a species from Java, its artichoke taste reinforced by a strong spicy note and the crisp/fresh combination make this long pepper preserved in salt an original and unique product.

Long Red Pepper

has been very popular for thousands of years and was already used by the Romans. The fruit is picked red when ripe, then scalded and dried for 4 to 5 days in the sun. Used as a spice, it develops a flavour of high heat and musk, with notes of nutmeg, cinnamon and cardamom.

It is the only real cooking pepper.

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Pepper and health

Piperine, contained in all peppers of the botanical Piper, is an active ingredient with a wide range of health benefits. Its virtues were already known in antiquity and are now proven by scientific studies:

  • Its properties on digestive disorders

The peppery taste stimulates the taste buds. By promoting the secretion of gastric juices, pepper helps digestion. Its use is indicated in cases of nausea, bloating, flatulence, constipation and lack of appetite.

  • A natural anti-inflammatory and pain relief power

Endowed with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, pepper can help to soothe small pains, especially dental pains, and limit the aggravation of small winter illnesses such as rhinitis, bronchitis and sore throat. Its antibacterial qualities would protect the teeth.

Moreover, as a taste enhancer (or aroma enhancer), it will sublimate your dishes while limiting the temptation of excess salt, which is bad for your health, especially cardiovascular risks.

  • A natural antidepressant

Pepper piperine stimulates the production of an endorphin, serotonin, which is involved in emotional well-being and sleep regulation.

  • A Vasodilator with many virtues…

Known as the “pleasure of Venus” in the Middle Ages, pepper was known for its aphrodisiac powers

For information, our peppers have a piperine level higher than international requirements ( CXS 326-2017 standards). Moreover, they are guaranteed gluten-free.

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