category: food/groceries: Länderküche: Australien: spices

Australian pepper, native pepper, bush pepper, bot.: Tasmannia species, de.: Australischer Pfeffer, Buschpfeffer

Australian native pepper or bush pepper are several species of the genus Tasmannia. Tasmannia plants are evergreen, woody shrubs up to 2 m high and 2 m wide. Their leaves are dark green and shiny, 4-8 cm long and lanceolate. The berries are pea-sized and purple-blue to black. All Tasmannia varieties are dioecious, which means male and female flowers grow on separate plants. Dried seeds and leaves of some species are used as a spice in Australia. The first white settlers started to use them as a substitute for black pepper to which they are similar in taste. Over the last decade bush pepper has become popular as a spice of the modern bushfood cuisine. The hot and spicy taste of Australian pepper is caused by polygodial.

Native pepper may be used as a substitute for normal black pepper in most recipes. The berries are extremely hot and have to be used in much smaller amounts. Their heat only lasts for a short time and is followed by a sensation of numbness, similar to that of Sichuan pepper. Australian pepper berries are available whole or ground. The leaves are milder and are usually sold ground.

Australian pepper varieties

When talking about Australian pepper, most people have Tasmanian pepper (bot.: Tasmannia lanceolata) in mind. Other species used as spices are Dorrigo pepper (bot.: Tasmannia stipitata) and Alpine pepper (bot.: Tasmannia xerophila). The seeds of pepper trees (bot.: Tasmannia insipida) also contain polygodial but are not used as a spice.