Horopito
호로피토
ⓒ
Photo: peganum · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Original file (Wikimedia Commons)
A red-blotched leaf from New Zealand forests, so hot that it burns your mouth. It's said to be so hot that even deer won't eat it. In New Zealand it's a native spice used instead of pepper.
Flavor and aroma
- It has a sharp, fiery pepper taste with a hint of citrus.
- Your mouth feels like it's burning, and it goes numb.
Fun facts
- Its hot compound is polygodial, the same as in mountain pepper. Both plants are in the Winteraceae family.
- Because deer won't eat it, this tree has taken over the understory of some New Zealand forests.
- The Māori have long used it as medicine.
In the kitchen
Drinks
- Make tea with the leaves.
Cooking
- Use it as a native spice to season meat and fish.
Seasoning
- Grind the dried leaves and use them instead of pepper.
Goes well with
MeatFishCitrus
Tips
- It's very hot, so use a little at a time.
Season
We're still checking the season. We'll add it once we find a source.
Details
- Korean name
- 호로피토
- English names
- horopito, New Zealand pepper tree
- Scientific name
- Pseudowintera colorata
- Family
- Winteraceae
- Genus
- Pseudowintera
Show sources for this page
References for this herb
- Wikipedia
- Te Ara 뉴질랜드 백과사전
- 뉴질랜드 국립박물관 Te Papa
- 더니든 식물원
- New Zealand Plant Conservation Network
Name and classification
Photo
peganum · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Original file (Wikimedia Commons)