If you’ve ever tasted the African pepper soup, you might be thinking about what spices joined that give it a distinct taste and flavor. I’ll show you how to make pepper soup spice from scratch using traditional ethnic spices as well as everyday spices from your local grocery store.
African pepper soups are made with varieties of unique spices. Below are spices are commonly used spices for pepper soup in West Africa:
List of Pepper Soup Spices
1. Calabash Nutmeg
African nutmeg is another name for Calabash nutmeg.
Monodora Myristica is a botanical name.
In Nigeria, the following names are used: The – Urhobo; Iwo – Itsekiri; Uhuru – Igbo; Ariwo – Yoruba; Gujiya dan Miya – Hausa; Ukposa – Bini.
2. Gbafilo
Other names: rough-skinned plum, grey plum, and Guinea plum.
Chrysobalanus icaco (botanical name)
Gbafilo/ Gbafilor are Nigerian surnames.
3. Grains of Selim
The fruits are narrow, slightly torulose, dark brown or black, and about 2in long, borne in clusters (separate carpels) on a strong peduncle (The Useful Plants of West Africa)
Other spellings: Botanical name: Xylopia Aethiopica African/Guinean/Ethiopian Pepper
Urheri – Urhobo; Union – Bini; Atta – Ibibio/Efik; Uda – Igbo; Peru – Yoruba are the local names in Nigeria.
4. Uziza
Other names for this plant include bush pepper, Guinea cubebs, and West African black peppers.
Piper Guineense (botanical name)
Educa – Ibibio; Eti-Ankeny – Efik; Uziza – Igbo; – Yoruba are some of the local names.
Dried blackberries are used in this recipe.
Uses: As a condiment in soups, rice, and other dishes.
5. Alligator Pepper
Other names: Paradise Grains
Aframomum Melegueta is the botanical name.
Local names include Ehie ado (Bini); Ntuen (Efik); Ose Oji/Akwa (Igbo); and Oboro (Yoruba).
Skin and seeds are included. The seeds are aromatic and pungent, with a cardamom flavor in some strains.
The seeds are ground and added to soups and stews; it is also chewed with kola nuts to produce a numbing effect.
Uses: as a condiment in soups, in spice blends for pepper soup, in Igbo (bitters), in water to purify it, in palm wine as a flavorer.
6. Tetrapleura Tetraptera
Other spellings: [Ghana] Prekese
Aframomum Melegueta is the botanical name.
Aidan (Yoruba); Edem Inang (Efik); Ighimiakhie (Bini); Ushio us (Igbo).
Consists of two hardy, two soft, and sweet edible wings, and two long-winged fruit pods.
Soft wings are edible and are used.
Uses roasted and ground for soups and sauces; ground for soups and sauces. To flavor palm wine, the ground pulp is sometimes added.
7. Umilo, Omilo
Other names: [Caribbean] Cocoplum
Chrysobalanus icaco (botanical name)
Omilo/Umilo – Itsekiri – Omilo/Umilo – Itsekiri – Omilo/Amilo
Parts of the shell and seed/kernel Shell are broken and the seed/kernel inside is used.