Spices
Grains of Paradise
Grains de paradis
Mali
Grains of paradise (Aframomum melegueta), a West African spice; listed in What The World Eats as a core spice of Mali; related to cardamom; used to season sauces, stews, and grilled meats; has a pungent, peppery flavor with hints of citrus; a traditional West African spice; the pepper of the Mali Empire.

Original eatfuls sticker artwork
What it is
A closer look at Grains of Paradise.
Grains of paradise (Aframomum melegueta), a West African spice; listed in What The World Eats as a core spice of Mali; related to cardamom; used to season sauces, stews, and grilled meats; has a pungent, peppery flavor with hints of citrus; a traditional West African spice; the pepper of the Mali Empire.
What to look for
Know it when you find it.
The spice should be small, reddish-brown seeds; pungent and peppery with citrus hints; used to season sauces, stews, and grilled meats; a traditional West African spice; found at markets; the pepper of the Mali Empire; a key spice in Malian cuisine.
Where it belongs
Origins and
traditions.
Food rarely respects a border. These are the places the dataset connects most strongly to Grains of Paradise.
Names around the table
One food, more than one name.
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