White pepper

White pepper is a spice produced from the dried fruit of the pepper plant, Piper nigrum, as is black pepper. It is usually milder than black pepper, with less complex flavor. Both whole and ground white pepper are available.

White pepper consists solely of the seed of the ripe fruit of the pepper plant, with the thin darker-coloured skin (flesh) of the fruit removed. This is usually accomplished by a process known as retting, where fully ripe red pepper berries are soaked in water for about a week so the flesh of the peppercorn softens and decomposes; rubbing then removes what remains of the fruit, and the naked seed is dried. Sometimes the outer layer is removed from the seed through other mechanical, chemical, or biological methods.

store white pepper in a tightly sealed container away from light. The peppercorns will store longer than ground white pepper, which will lose its flavor and potency after about three months. It won't spoil and will be safe to use, but you may need more to get the same flavor in your dish. For this reason, it's wise to purchase ground white pepper in smaller quantities that you will use in a shorter time frame.

Ground white pepper is commonly used in Chinese, Thai, and Portuguese cuisines. It finds occasional use in other cuisines in salads, light-coloured sauces, and mashed potatoes as a substitute for black pepper, because black pepper would visibly stand out. However, white pepper lacks certain compounds present in the outer layer of the drupe, resulting in a different overall flavour.

White pepper is often used in dishes that need a peppery bite but where you don't want black flecks, such as in white sauces and potato dishes. In ,Chinese. ground white pepper is used to add flavor to soups, marinades for meat and poultry, and spicier stir-fries. It is different from black pepper