Black peppercorns are sun-dried, fermented green berries from a pepper vine native to Southwestern India. This spice is ever so popular throughout the world. It has a pungent fragrance and spicy taste. Black pepper is evident in almost all curries, dals and numerous spice blends. Black pepper is a digestive, a liver stimulant, and helps relieve bronchial asthma, fevers and colds, poor circulation and toothaches.