Taiwan Magaoshan Pepper

Ma Gao is a beautiful chant of "Makauy" in the Atayal language. She is full of vitality and the image of endless life, so she is praised as mountain pepper. Her story takes place in the high mountain areas of Taiwan, between 100 meters and 1,500 meters above sea level, such as Wulai in New Taipei, Wulai in Hsinchu, and Nantou Mountains. And in this picturesque mountainous area of Xinyi Township, Nantou, we found this rare Magao pepper. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53074140339_a895043e9c_c.jpg Image credit: AFA Ma told me that pepper is difficult to cultivate artificially, so she can only rely on wild collection. The collection process is full of challenges, accompanied by the cutting of a large number of branches, which makes the Magao tree fragile, and even weakens and dies after several years of harvesting. Because of this, Magaoshan pepper has become an extremely rare spice material. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53073751477_57ba31ce3b_c.jpg In her fruit, we find a unique flavor intertwined with pepper and ginger, the spiciness stimulates the nerves of the taste buds and makes the mouth water. These fruits can be pickled directly, or washed and dried, and then combined with salt to make aboriginal-style seasoning. In addition to adding the aroma of dishes, she also has the function of antiseptic ingredients, which is a multi-functional delicious treasure. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53074352685_9c0f79a390_c.jpg Every year at the beginning of spring, her flowers bloom like goose yellow suns, small but full of love. These charming flowers are not only pleasing to the eye, but also make an intoxicating balsamic tea. And her tender green leaves have also become the new favorite of chefs, adding them to the dishes to add a lot of color to the dishes. The whole plant has a unique spicy aroma, which can be distilled to extract lemon-flavored essential oil for use in cosmetics or medical products. Her beauty is not only shown in the flowers, but also like a shining Gemstone in the essential oil. https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53073369937_8d8a567736_c.jpg In summer, the horses will grow small green berries, which will turn into black pearls after ripening and drying, which is simply a black Gemstone in the mountains and forests. This "black pearl in the forest" is really a dream food for gourmets, and it is unforgettable after trying it. In aboriginal culture, Magaoshan pepper is a multi-functional gourmet treasure. People of the Saisiyat and Atayal tribes often pickle the fruit and eat it, or mash the fruit and soak it in water as a good remedy for hangover. And when the clansmen went to work in the mountains, they even brought lemon juice with them to prevent heatstroke in summer and maintain physical strength and vitality at the same time. In this story, we discovered the multiple charms of Magaoshan pepper. She is not only a precious ingredient in the hearts of gourmets, but also an important symbol of aboriginal culture. She brought a variety of delicacies, and also gave the aborigines a sense of gratitude and love for nature. In her body, we taste the endless surprises in life, and she integrates food and culture into a unique delicious scenery in this land. 【Magaoshan Roasted Chicken Drumstick with Pepper】Recipe video: https://youtu.be/AVRJGictsQE