white pepper
白胡椒· bai hu jiao fen
spice
Taste & Role
🫙 Fermented
Used to season soups, congee, marinades, dumpling fillings, and dipping sauces, white pepper delivers gentle heat without the dark specks of black pepper, making it ideal for light-colored dishes like hot and sour soup, wonton soup, and steamed fish.
What it is
White pepper comes from the same plant as black pepper (Piper nigrum), but the berries are allowed to fully ripen and are soaked to remove the dark outer husk before drying, leaving a smooth, pale seed. It is most often sold ground into a fine powder. It is a foundational seasoning in Chinese cooking, especially in Cantonese cuisine.
Substitutes
No registered substitutes — this one is usually easy to find.
Recipes using it
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