Pepisu

Pepisu is a fictional spice paste described in culinary worldbuilding and speculative gastronomy. The term appears in several invented cuisines to illustrate how pepper-based pastes function as flavor bases. Etymology in these texts often treats pepisu as a compound of "pep" (pepper) and a suffix "-isu" to signal a paste-like preparation.

Description: Pepisu is typically made from dried chilies or fresh peppers ground with aromatics such as shallots or onions, garlic, and salt. Some variants incorporate roasted sesame seeds, ground nuts, or seeds for texture. A fat (oil, or reserved pepper oil) is added to create a paste. The paste is usually aged briefly to mellow sharpness and develop depth of flavor.

Preparation: Peppers are dry-toasted, cooled, and ground with aromatics. The mixture is then pounded or blended with oil to a smooth or coarse paste depending on tradition. Commercial-style pepisu in fiction may include a fermented element for umami.

Uses: Pepisu functions as a base for stews, marinades, and grilled meats in recipes described in worldbuilding sources. It can be used fresh or stored for weeks in oil.

Variants and regional associations: Green pepisu uses fresh green chilies; smoked pepisu adds smoked peppers; fermented pepisu includes a fish sauce or soy-based fermentation.

Significance: In fictional contexts, pepisu often symbolizes cross-cultural exchange, seafood-rich coastal settlements, and the spread of pepper cultivation.

See also: pepper paste, gochujang, harissa, miso-chili blends.