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Selim (kani pepper)

Selim (kani pepper)

Normal price €5,75 EUR
Normal price Offer price €5,75 EUR
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Selim pepper, also called selim kani or kani pepper. It is the dried fruit of a tree related to the custard apple. It is therefore not a 'real pepper'. The taste has been described as a marriage between a cubeb pepper and nutmeg.

This (pseudo)pepper from Senegal is a member of the soursop family (Annonaceae). Selim pepper was also in Europe, until the large-scale importation of black pepper in the 16th century, a common pepper known as Negro pepper or Moorish pepper.

The tree on which the pepper grows is the Xylopia, a tropical tree that easily reaches 20 meters in height. Xylopia means 'bitter wood', a bitterness that ensures that the wood of the tree is termite-free and can be used as construction wood. You can also taste this bitterness in the peppers, albeit to a modest extent.

Selimp pepper grows wild in the rainforest, and is not fertilized or watered. Harvesting takes place twice a year. Immediately after harvesting, the still red fruits, stem and all, are left to dry in the sun. Only after drying is the stem of the then dark brown fruit removed. Each fruit contains five to eight seeds, which look somewhat like kidney beans.

Selim pepper, also called Guinea pepper, has many, many names on the African continent, including uda hwentia or kimba pepper. In African and especially Nigerian cuisine, not only the seed but also the whole dried fruit is used. This is tied together with other herbs in a 'bouquet garni' that is used in stews. The hairstyle smells of rosewood, and also has lavender and coriander aromas.

Smell and taste

The seeds contain volatile oils that provide the aromas of eucalyptus and nutmeg, which are released when the seeds are ground. They have a slightly bitter taste as mentioned. Selimp pepper is (very) rich in vitamin A.

  • sabinene, responsible for the woody, camphoraceous flavor of black pepper and nutmeg, among others
  • α- and β-pinene, woody pine odor, as in cumin, pine, juniper and hemp,
  • β-phellandrenene, mint, turpentine,
  • 1,8-cineole, eucalyptol, the refreshing taste of mint
  • terpine-4-ol, woody and peppery aroma
  • geranyl acetate, responsible for the rose, lavender scent.

Use

The pod-shaped fruit is very fibrous and is therefore not eaten itself. To 'liberate' the seeds and thus only use the least bitter part of the selim pepper, hold the entire fruit briefly over an open fire (flame). Let it cool down for a while. Press or pick the seeds out of the capsule, then grind them.

Selim is used, among other things, in (African) stews and in roasted form for the preparation of Touba coffee.Selim is delicious in combination with goat meat!

Features:

  • 100% berries of the Xylopia aethiopica
  • origin: Senegal

Assortment

  • available in glass and stand-up pouch (no test tubes)
  • glass jar contains 45 grams
  • stand-up pouches with a capacity of up to 30 to 250 grams
  • larger quantities on request

Gift packaging

  • 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 gift packaging section

General advice

  • separate the seeds and 'pods', and tie the latter together for easy removal at the end of cooking

Save:

  • store your selim pepper in closed packaging
  • preferably store in a dark, dry and cool place
  • best before June 2026 (06/26)
  • this expiration date is an indication
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