Mbongo (grain)

Mbongô (mbongo), also known as alligator, comes from West Africa. pepper is named after its appearance. The dried seed pod contains a 'scaly' palette of small seeds, reminiscent of grains of paradise, encased in fragile, hardened jelly.

The mbongô grows on a two-meter-tall shrub of the ginger genus, which, like many ginger relatives, has rhizomes. Just above the ground, it forms trumpet-shaped, green flowers that appear to emerge directly from the ground. They soon fall off to make way for 10 cm fruits.

These are seed pods filled with dozens of seeds in a jelly-like fluid. After drying, the seeds can be freed from their capsules. This is done exclusively by hand. The seeds are approximately 3 mm in size, glossy, and deep brown. Curiously, they have little to no scent, but their fragrance is all the more pronounced after they have been ground.

Our Mbongô originates from Cameroon, where the spice is used in many famous dishes, such as Mbongô tchòbi, fish in black sauce. The spice is also used in other West African countries, especially in pepperssquirt.

Related spices are grains of paradise (Aframomum melegueta) and Madagascar cardamom (Aframomum angustifolium). The former is fairly common, the latter very rare.

Mbongô is one of the four local peppers in the famous Nigerian peppersoep nwo-nwo, together with Ashantipepper (uziza), selim pepper (uda ewentia) and calabash nutmeg (ehuru).

Scent and taste

The seeds have a delicious, almost overwhelming fresh scent of lemongrass. (lemongrass), which remains hidden until the seeds are ground. They are quite pepperig, like grains of paradise. In terms of composition, the essential oil in mbongô resembles in many respects similar to cardamom, and also to ginger. Some of the essential oils determining the taste and scent in mbongô are:

• citronellol, the scent of lemongrass
• afromodial, the unsaturated dialdehyde that causes sharpness,
• 1,8-cineol, eucalyptol, the refreshing taste of mint
• β-pinene, woody pine scent, as in cumin, pine (pine cone), juniper and hemp,
• α-terpineol, sweet floral scent like lilac.
• sabinene, responsible for the woody, camphor-like flavor of black pepper and nutmeg
• β-myrcene, spicy aroma, with notes of fruit (mango, grape, peach) and mint,
• α-caryophyllene (humulene), hops, as in beer and cannabis
• d-limonene, citrus, orange flavour

Usage

You can literally use Mbongô in any dish, even in boiled rice or pasta, but preferably in a palette of West African spices and herbs such as with calabash nutmeg and ashanti.pepper, grain of paradise, selim pepper, cubebpepper, ginger, garlic nut, and African mint. Each one a flavouring from fascinating West African gastronomy.

Grind – or mortar – the seeds shortly before use, after first having roasted them briefly.

Features:

• 100% seeds of Aframomum danielli
• origin: Central Cameroon

Assortment

• available in glass (60 or 75 grams), stand-up pouch and test tube (10 ml)
• Larger quantities on request

Gift packaging

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

General advice

• times the pepper at the last moment to make the most of the aroma—preferably roast briefly first

Save:

• save your mbongo pepper in sealed packaging
• preferably store in a dark, dry and cool place
• best before June 2027 (06-2027)
• This expiration date is an indication.

Batch number

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