The Mexican leaf pepper is an impressive plant with large leaves, which is indispensable in Mexican cuisine – and this despite the fact that the active ingredient contained in the leaves is not harmless. The customary name Hoja Santa suggests that the plant found its ritual use in the practice of religion in the times of the Aztecs and Mayas precisely for this reason.
Occurrence and cultivation of Mexican leaf pepper.
The Mexican leaf pepper is a plant that is known and appreciated even beyond the borders of Mexico. Names for Mexican Leaf Pepper also include Piper Auritum (Latin), Ohrenpfeffer and Geöhrter Pfeffer (German), Sacred Pepper and Rootbeer Plant (English), as well as Anisillo, Hoja Santa and Yerba Santa (Spanish). The popular spice plant belongs to the pepper family and has its home not only in Mexico. Mexican leaf pepper also thrives in other tropical, Central American countries such as Panama, Guatemala and northern Colombia. Outside of its native range (that is, in Europe), Mexican leaf pepper is less well known as a spice. That is, in the grocery store, obtaining fresh and dried leaves is very rare. For enthusiasts, however, nurseries exist through which the plant can be procured. It is a decorative hardy container plant that can be harvested again and again by cutting it back severely. The shrub produces handsome white flowers that grow up to 20 centimeters tall. The leaves, which are important for cooking, can grow to about 30 centimeters. On the underside, the leaves are slightly hairy. They taste aromatic and remotely reminiscent of nutmeg, anise and pepper due to the pungency.
Effect and use
Especially the young heart-shaped leaves are strong in flavor. This is due to the fact that in old leaves, the leaf style is already woody. Within the Mexican cuisine, the plant is used very versatile. On the one hand, the leaves are used as garnish, but they can also be stuffed, steamed or grilled. The “Pescado con Hoja Santa” (Fish with Mexican Leaf Pepper) is a famous recipe where the pepper leaves are used for wrapping. The finished roulades are then placed in a gratin dish and baked until cooked. This specialty originated in the state of Veracruz. In this region, the pepper leaves are used particularly frequently. As an addition to hot chocolate, pepper leaf spice is also very common in central Mexico. And the plant is also an integral part of the nationally known “Mole Verde”. Compared to the other moles, the Mole Verde uses a lot of fresh herbs. The base is a strong chicken broth prepared with cumin, cloves, chili peppers, tomatillo fruit and garlic. A little cornmeal is used to thicken the sauce and a leaf pepper puree is added for flavor. This side dish is especially popular with poultry. However, compared to other moles, it is important that it is always prepared fresh. The flavor of Mexican leaf pepper is characterized by an essential oil, 0.2 percent of which is contained in the freshly picked pepper leaves. The oil’s component is 80 percent phenylpropanoid safrole. Safrole is also found in many other types of pepper. In black pepper, however, only small traces of this substance can be detected.
Health significance, treatment and prevention.
Due to the high component of safrole contained in the leaves, its use in cooking is quite controversial. The cooking process causes the leaves to release their flavor to the dish in a very short time. While the safrole is extremely tasty, it is also known to be a toxic substance that can cause hallucinogenic effects. However, many Mexicans are happy to accept the risk in order to preserve their longstanding cooking tradition. As an alternative, avocado leaf is repeatedly recommended in cookbooks. Also suitable in terms of taste is the Mexican winter tarragon or the French tarragon. Other strong-tasting culinary herbs such as thyme or savory can also be used as a substitute for the pepper leaves. Unfortunately, however, these substitute herbs are only suitable for dishes in which the Mexican leaf pepper is used as a seasoning (pureed).If the leaves are needed to wrap meat, fish or poultry, tarragon, thyme and savory is not the right choice. Conceivable here would be a try with Thai basil, although the leaves are much smaller in size. The active ingredient safrole is said to have a good effect on rheumatic complaints, fever and diarrhea, and it can also relieve menstrual disorders and urogenital complaints. This applies to cases when the safrole or pepper leaves are taken orally. In external use, the Mexican leaf pepper is suitable for the treatment of wounds and insect bites. In the dried state, the leaves are used as incense – a tradition that has its origins in the era of the Majas and Aztecs. We can only speculate about another use at this time, but the name “Santa” (sacred) in the name suggests significant tasks.
