Alligator Pepper
Pronounced AL-i-gay-tor PEP-per
Alligator pepper is a West African spice made from the peppery seeds of a plant in the ginger family, held inside an elongated pod whose bumpy skin gives it its name. The small reddish-brown seeds have a warm, pungent, citrusy heat, closely related to grains of paradise. Known in Yoruba as atare, it has both a culinary role, adding heat and aroma, and a deep cultural and ceremonial one in West African hospitality and rites.
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Also known as
- atare
- grains of paradise
- mbongo
How it is used
Ground seeds added to soup for heat, or shared with kola nut at a ceremony.
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