Botanical name: Capparis
spinosa Linn. Family name: Capparidaceae
Caper is derived
from the Latin word
capra, which means
“goat,” a name that
reflects its strong
smell. Thought to
originate from the
Near East or Central
Asia, it has been
used by Arabs for
medicinal purposes.
Other than Europe,
caper is not well
known in Asia or
Latin America,
though it is used in
some Spanish style
dishes in Mexico.
Origin and Varieties
Caper grows wild in
the Mediterranean
and is cultivated in
Spain, France,
Italy, Greece,
Algeria, Cyprus, and
Iran. There are some
wild varieties that
are used in northern
regions of south
Asia
Spice Description
Caper is the green,
dried bud of an
unopened flower. It
is graded based on
its size—the
smaller, the higher
the grade. Usually,
it is cured with
brine, vinegar, or
oil. Caper has a
sharp fermented
bitter taste, and
its characteristic
taste is developed
when placed in
vinegar or brine.
Pickled capers have
an acrid, tart, and
pungent taste with a
lemony tang
Plant Description
and Cultivation
Capers can be grown
easily from fresh
seed, gathered from
ripe fruit and
planted into well
drained seed-raising
mix. Seedlings will
appear in 2–4 weeks.
Old, stored seeds
enter a state of
dormancy and require
cold stratification
to germinate.
Cuttings from
semihardwood shoots
taken in autumn may
root, but this is
not a reliable means
of propagation.
Caper plants prefer
full sun in
warm/temperate
climates and should
be treated much like
cacti. They require
regular watering in
summer and very
little during
winter; they are
deciduous, though in
warmer climates they
may simply stop
growing. Capers have
a curious reaction
to sudden increases
in humidity - they
form wart-like pock
marks across the
leaf surface. This
appears to be
harmless, as the
plant quickly
adjusts to the new
conditions and
produces unaffected
leaves. Seedling
capers can be
expected to flower
from the second to
third year, and live
for at least
decades, and
probably much
longer.
Capers in Other
Languages
Arabic
kubar
Cantonese
chee san gam
Bengali
kabra
Greek
kappari
French
capres
Malaysian
melada
Hindi
kiari, kabra
Japanese
keipa
German
keipa
Portuguese
alcaparra
Italian
cappero
Punjabi
kabarra
Preparation and
Culinary uses
Capers have been
pickled by Southern
Europeans for over
2000 years. Today,
they are consumed
abundantly in the
Mediterranean
regions of Sicily,
Apulia (in Italy),
France, Spain, and
Greece. Sicilians
add capers to tomato
sauces and wines
with onions, garlic,
green olives, and
fresh leafy spices
(such as basil,
oregano, and
chervil), game,
pizzas, chicken,
caponata (a salad
that includes
eggplant and
tomatoes), tartar
sauce, and fish.
Apulians in Italy
use caper with
meatballs, string
beans, and other
boiled vegetables.
The Spanish crush
it, combine it with
almonds, garlic, and
parsley which is
then served over
fried fish. Tapenade,
a salty pungent
spread with capers,
black olives,
garlic, anchovies,
black pepper,
mustard, and other
ingredients, is a
popular appetizer in
Provence, France.
Capers pair well
with fish, olives,
chicken, basil,
mustard, black
pepper, garlic,
oregano, and
tarragon. Because
heat easily destroys
its aroma, caper is
added to cold dishes
of fish, meat, and
vegetables. In the
United States and
northern Europe, it
is served as a
garnish for cold
fish, roasts, and
salads, as a spread,
and added to pickles
and relishes. Capers
are also used to add
tartness to the
curried dishes of
northern India.
Caper contains
mainly water (85%),
bitter glycosides
(such as rutin and
glucocapparin),
pentosans, rutic
acid, pectin, and
saponin. Similar to
mustard or wasabi,
upon enzymatic
action, methyl
glucosinate releases
methyl
isothiocyanate which
gives capers its
pungency. Rutin is
the whitish spots
(crystallizes during
pickling process) on
pickled capers. It
has high sodium
content.
Health Benefits Of
Capers
Capers have been a
part of the
Mediterranean and
the Arabian Gulf for
a long time. Capers
are essential for
some French and
Italian dishes.
Capers have anti
oxidant properties
which improve the
body’s immune system
and delays the sign
of aging.
Fresh capers do not
have a very strong
taste, but once they
re dried and brined
in salt and vinegar,
a sharp taste
develops.
Medicinal uses:
Root bark is
diuretic,
expectorant,
anthelmintic, etc.
Used in paralysis,
rheumatism and
enlarged spleen.
Capers have reported
uses for
arteriosclerosis, as
diuretics, kidney
disinfectants,
vermifuges and
tonic.
Preparation and
Storage
Whole dried allspice
will keep
indefinitely when
kept out of light in
airtight jars. It
can be ground in a
spice mill or an
electric coffee
grinder. The ground
spice loses flavour
quickly.
Quality Assurance
As we believe in
providing quality
products that are
close to nature, we
conduct various
stringent quality
tests under the
supervision of the
experts. These tests
are performed with
due care from the
very initial stage
of procurement of
the products to the
final stage of
delivery to the end
users.
Packaging
We also provide
reliable packaging
of the Kachra
(Capers) and other
Capers products.
During the packaging
procedure, we keep
the hygienic level
high and also ensure
that there is no
human touch.
Moreover, the
packaging has also
helped in the easy
and safe delivery of
the products.
We are dealing with
various
esteemed clients
located in India as
well as in the
markets of New
Zealand and Dubai.
We also promise to
serve a superlative
range of
Capers and
Capers
products which
includes green
Capers powder
to our new customers
as we serve to our
existing satisfied
clientele. The
frequent and
concrete feedbacks
from our customers
have also helped in
the advancement of
the managerial
activities and
serving the products
as per the demand
prevailing in the
market. Last but not
the least; we are
also looking forward
to provide more
beneficial deals in
the forthcoming
years.
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Kachra (Capers)
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