Ashanti pepper (tail pepper)

The Ashanti pepper is also called the African cubeb. It was brought to the African continent, just like most other African pepper varieties, and does not grow there naturally. The berry is less bitter than that of the Javanese cubeb, also called the real cubeb. Ashanti is comparable in terms of pungency to long pepper.

 Stock Item: Limited stock awaiting new harvest

The Portuguese brought the cubeb from Java to the Grey Coast of West Africa, from where they shipped the pepper to Europe together with the native grain of paradise.

Both spices dominated European cuisine for a long time, but both were displaced by the peppers from India, Java and the West Indies, which were shipped to Europe by the Dutch and British Companies. The Ashanti pepper is named after the ancient kingdom of Ashanti, which after it was abruptly annexed by the British, would henceforth be called the 'Gold Coast'.

The Ashanti pepper grows wild in the forests of Likouala, in the northeast of Congo. Our pepper comes from there. It has many names, such as gorilla pepper, Baka or Pygmy pepper - after the Baka people who live here and collect the pepper - uziza or ndongo. The Ashanti pepper is an appetizing looking pepper, colorful in color, from gray-green to black and blushing red. The stalk is still attached.

Taste and smell

The smell is pleasant, and the taste is less bitter than that of Javanese cubeb. It is an important pepper in West African cuisine, and is used, like grain of paradise, in the recipe for Bombay sapphire gin.

Usage 

Ashanti pepper is a versatile pepper, in ragouts, broths, meat, vegetable dishes and sauces, but also in sweet preparations. such as in old-fashioned gingerbread. Ashanti pepper is an ingredient of a classic ras-el-hanout, and is (sometimes) used in berbere, instead of Cape long pepper. 

Compared to the Indonesian cubeb, this African cubeb is milder and therefore more suitable for sweet preparations, such as cookies.

Cubeb, like black pepper, is used whole, crushed or ground, always including the tails.

Recipes):

Features:

• 100% pepper berries from the Piper guineense
• origin: Likouala, Congo (Rep)

Assortment 

• available in glass, stand-up pouch and test tube
• glass jar contains 60 grams
• stand-up pouches with a capacity of 30 to 500 grams
• available in 10ml test tube
• larger quantities on request

Gift wrapping

• The jar is available in a tasteful gift packaging, consisting of a cube box filled with black tissue paper
• For an overview of our gift packaging, please refer to the section gift wrapping 

General advice

• grind your ashanti pepper shortly before use
• add the ground pepper to your preparation at the very last moment

Save:

• store your ashanti pepper in a closed container
• preferably store in a dark, dry and cool place
• at least good until July 2026 (07/26)
• This expiration date is an indication

Batch number

The batch number helps us trace which supply an item originates from. It is stated on the packing slip and the invoice