Grains of paradise

Flavour and aroma

peppery, lemony, cardamom-like, warm. Peppery, warm, lemony, slightly floral.

Heat

Very mild

Forms

whole, ground

How to use it

• grind · Dry grinding technique

  Grind in a pepper mill or mortar just before use, as you would black pepper.

• crush · Dry grinding technique

  Crush lightly and add near the end of cooking; long simmering dulls the citrus notes.

• Ground over meat and vegetables in place of black pepper
• West African soups and stews
• Some ras el hanout blends
• Brewing and spiced drinks
• Spice rubs

Identifying good quality

Tiny, hard, glossy reddish-brown seeds, angular rather than round, often sold loose or inside the dried pod. Crushed, they should smell bright and citrusy with a peppery bite.

• Not to be confused with Korerima (Ethiopian cardamom): Korerima is a larger Ethiopian Aframomum pod with a smoky cardamom aroma.
• Not to be confused with Black pepper: Black peppercorns are round and wrinkled, not small angular seeds.

Origin and history

Origin: The coast of West Africa, from Liberia to Nigeria.. Grown and used: Grown mainly in Ghana and Nigeria; used in West African cooking, in some North African blends and by brewers..

Grains of paradise were traded across the Sahara and later by sea to Europe, where they were popular in the 14th–15th centuries as an alternative to black pepper and in spiced wine. The stretch of the Liberian coast where they were bought was known to European traders as the Grain Coast or Pepper Coast. Use in Europe declined as black pepper became cheaper.

Well documented