The botanical name of Black Pepper is Piper nigrum L. It belongs to Piperacea family. Black peppers are sun dried berries of pepper plant. They are spherical in shape and black in color when dried.

Black peppers are native to sourthern Western Ghats of India. As of now, they are also grown in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and many other countries.

Black peppers are mostly grounded to make powder. The powder is used in making curry powder and sambhar powder. It is used in marinating fish and meat. Besides this, it is widely used in making sauces, pickles and soup preparations. It is one of the common items found on table in powdered form along with salt. This powdered black pepper can be sprinkled over salad or fruit dishes to add taste.