Grain of Paradise (pods)

Grain of paradise is a sharp peppersoort, beloved in West African and Surinamese cuisine. The small seeds are located in a seed pod embedded in a jelly-like fluid. The jelly is completely absent after drying.

This unique Grains of paradise are back!

We supply grains of paradise in hulled form and as a pod – for you to hull yourself. This unhulled fruit keeps the fine seeds super fresh.

This (pseudo)pepper from Ghana is a member of the ginger family (Zingiberaceae), and is also known by names such as Guinea pepper and maleguetta-pepperIt has been an important herb in West African and Surinamese cuisine for centuries.

Like all gingers, the plant grows in a warm, humid environment and prefers some shade. The rhizome grows just below the surface of the ground. The plant reaches a height of about 2 meters and has elongated, pointed leaves, like bamboo. Trumpet-like flowers form close to the ground; they appear to emerge directly from the soil but are supported by stalks. They are 15 cm long and light purple, and soon fall off to make way for large reddish-brown pods (10 cm). These contain reddish-brown seeds in a jelly-like fluid, the grains of paradise.

It takes three years for sown plants to yield a usable harvest. From then on, harvesting can take place for four consecutive years. The pods are picked when ripe. Only a modest portion is sold fresh; the lion's share is laid out in the sun to dry.

Grains of paradise taste stronger and are sharper than regular grains. pepper by the ketone paradol, an antioxidant found exclusively in this peppers occurs, and in ginger..

Grains of paradise are closely related to other African grains. pepperplants, such as Aframomum danielli, whose seeds are called mbongo herb or alligator pepper, and the very rare Aframomum angustifolium, the Madagascar cardamom. Grains of paradise are rarely sold unhulled – though they are with us! – as a rule, only the loose seeds are available.

Scent and taste

Grain of paradise is a spice scented of forest and wet wood. It tastes sharp at first, followed by pleasant citrus notes and notes of cinnamon, clove and cardamom (a distant relative) comes to the fore. The aftertaste is pleasant. Some of the essential oils determining the taste and smell in grains of paradise are:

• [6]-paradol, the dominant pungent substance, is also found in ginger,
  
• [6]-gingerol, better known as the sharpness of ginger, converted upon drying into [6]-shoagol, twice as sharp as gingerol
  
• β-caryophyllene, sweet, spicy and woody
• linalyl acetate, responsible for a pleasant citrus, bergamot, and lavender scent,
• 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, responsible for the citrus aromas,

After opening the seed pod, the grains become just like peppergrains - in the pepper grinder or in a mortar - ground. A good ras el hanout contains grains of paradise, which is called 'gouza sahraouia' in Morocco. In many versions of ras el hanout, it is nowadays made by cubeb pepper replace, or black pepperGrains of paradise are making a comeback, not only in African cuisines, but also in beers, spirits, and European cuisine.

Grains of paradise are delicious with lamb dishes, courgette, potatoes, and aubergine.

Features:

• 100% fruit of the Aframomum meleguetta (unpeeled)
• origin: Cameroon

Assortment

• available in glass (45 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 scent
• save the pepper in a dark, dry and cool place
  

Save:

• Store your grains of paradise in a closed package.
• preferably store in a dark, dry and cool place
• best before February 2027 (02-2027)
• This expiration date is an indication.

Would you like to know what grains of paradise taste like?