Ukrainian Red Midget (puniceus minimum, pusillus), also disputably referred as 'Thai Hot', is a small tree-like bush roughly 30-60 cm in height . Whilst usually a seasonal plant, it can produce fruit all year around if kept in warm mild conditions.
The plant typically produces 10 to 40 peppers at a time, which occur in three discrete stages - flower, green pepper and red (fully ripe) peppers. As a result of the flowers' fine and gentle aroma, the plant is often kept as a house plant in many parts of Eastern Europe, notably in Ukraine.
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Contents |
History
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Some theories speculate that it was brought in by cossacks after their ventures to Turkey. Another theory suggests that it was brought in by migrated Jewish settlers (See History of the Jews in Poland) first to Kingdom of Poland and then spread across the border to Ukraine with Jewish settlers who often became a korchmar (from word [[korchma]] - inn or tavern) - korchma owners. They were distilling own vodka of natural trade obtained goods from local farmers and adding peppers to improve taste and add more different burning hotness to otherwise burning drink.
Part of old tradition
Thereafter this kind of pepper became a part of the traditional Ukranian (also Polish and Russian) type of vodka known as Pertsovka or Pertsofka (Russian: Перцовка), Pertsivka (Ukrainian: Перцiвка) - derived from word perets' (Ukrainian: Перець) which means - pepper. Vodka in Ukrainian is Horilka (Ukrainian: Горiлка) which shares same root with word gority (Ukrainian: Горiти) - meanning 'to burn'.
Usage
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Harvesting
Peppers are usually harvested in two different ways: in their ripe stage and still fresh or after they turned dry. According to some sources you need to let them dry out on a plant itself to allow all natural substances to 'get into the plant'. At some point plant stops supplying juices and nutrients to the fruit and fruit itself goes into some sort of 'hibernation state' when 'natural preservation' will create 'tight seal' and won't allow any loss of taste, smell and 'potentness'.[vague]
Peppers are picked with their stems either when completely dry or when turned rich-red while still fresh.
Storage
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It is recommended to store them in air tight container if picked dry or in open container when picked fresh and then sealing it after peppers are completely dry.
It is OK though, to pre-grind small amount of peppers and store then in the 1-2 oz. air sealed glass jar or bottle. Do not use plastic or metal containers because all plastics are porous and will absorb some of the pepper's potency.
Metal containers improperly treated will spoil taste by adding its own unless you are using one specifically designed for storage of spices.
Preparation
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Pepper is ground coarsely and never powdered. Preferably right before adding to your cooking food. It could be used as individual spice added right to your plate, but cooking it for the short period of time will allow pores of the plant to open cells swell and burst thus releasing all of the bouquet and making taste more full and throughout.
Conclusion
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Regardless of the theory this pepper travels to Ukraine somewhere from Middle East which in turn could have been introduced there from South-East Asia by means of Silk Road.
Notes
No any kind of research that is known was conducted to determine relations of these two sub-species and measure their heat level in relation to each other.
