Pepper and coriander are kitchen spices that are used to add flavor to food. Both have similar shapes so those who are rarely or just starting to be interested in cooking might be a little confused about the difference. Let’s look at the differences between these two kitchen spices.
Pepper
Pepper or pepper is the fruit of the pepper plant which is dried and used as a cooking spice. Pepper gives a distinctive spicy taste to cooking and is commonly used in making soups and satay seasonings and is also widely used in various Chinese foods.
Several types of pepper include white pepper, black pepper and green pepper.
White pepper is a perfectly ripe pepper that is picked and soaked in water to ferment. Then the outer layer of the pepper is removed, leaving only the white seeds. White pepper has a spicy taste and soft texture. Generally used to add aroma and spicy sensation to seafood. White pepper is commonly used in Chinese, Thai, Portuguese, Swedish and French food.
Black pepper is pepper that is dried in the sun after being picked in an immature condition. Before drying, black pepper is usually cooked briefly to clean and prepare the pepper for drying. Black pepper has a more intense spicy taste which is usually used for marinating and coating meat. Black pepper is common in Indian and Southeast Asian food and is widely used in America.
Green pepper is immature pepper fruit that is dried using techniques that can maintain the green color of the pepper, such as canning or freeze drying. Green pepper has a fresh spicy taste and bright aroma. Green pepper is widely used in Thai and Tamil food.
Pepper has a small round shape with a diameter of 3-5 mm with a slightly hard texture. White pepper is white with a slightly smooth surface while black pepper is dark in color and has an uneven texture. Pepper has a slightly pungent aroma and a distinctive spicy taste. Usually used in cooking in whole round form or crushed into powder.
Coriander
Coriander (coriander) is a spice plant that is commonly used as a cooking spice. All parts of the coriander plant such as leaves, flowers, seeds and roots can be eaten. Indonesian people are more familiar with coriander as the dried seeds of this plant. Coriander is commonly used as a seasoning for fried dishes such as fried chicken, fried tempeh, fried tofu and other fried foods. Apart from that, coriander is also used to strengthen the taste and aroma of dishes.
Coriander is commonly found in dishes from China, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, Scandinavia, Africa and Latin America.
Coriander is small round in shape with a diameter of around 1-3 mm with a golden yellow color. The texture is like a thin shell, hard but brittle with a hollow inside. Coriander has a slightly sharp taste and distinctive aroma that comes from its essential oil which has the chemical component linalool. Coriander is used in cooking in whole or crushed form.
Health benefits of pepper and coriander
Pepper contains the compound piperine which is an antioxidant which is good for preventing the effects of free radicals on the body. Apart from that, pepper has anti-inflammatory properties and is good for digestive health.
Coriander is also known to maintain digestive health and treat stomach aches, diarrhea and bloating. Boiled coriander water can lower sugar levels and blood pressure. Apart from that, coriander is also used to increase appetite. Coriander can also help healthy skin, so coriander extract is widely used in beauty products.
That’s the difference between pepper and coriander. Hopefully after this, beginners in the kitchen won’t make a mistake when they want to take one of these.
If coriander and pepper are traditional spices that have been very commonly used in cooking since time immemorial, creamer can be said to be a newcomer as an ingredient in cooking. Dishes that use creamer are no less delicious. Use quality creamer products from SPK to create dishes with a distinctive and savory taste for your family at home.
