Africa

Uziza Seed

Piper guineense (berry/seed).

Dried berry (seed).

Part Used

Dried whole berries, crushed or ground as needed.

Form

Uziza (Igbo), iyere / ata iyere (Yoruba), etinkene (Efik/Ibibio), eshasha (Urhobo); also called West African black pepper or false cubeb pepper.

Nigeria (especially the south and southeast), Cameroon, Ghana, Benin, Liberia.

Warm, peppery, and earthy – milder and more herbal than true cubeb pepper, with about 5–8% piperine content giving its bite.

Pepper-style seasoning for soups and stews, especially pepper soup and egusi.

Nigerian pepper soup; egusi soup; ogbono soup.

Crayfish, palm oil, calabash nutmeg, chile.

Grind fresh just before use for maximum aroma; can also be added whole to long-simmered soups.

Whole dried berries keep 12–18 months sealed and dark.

Cubeb pepper is the closest botanical relative; black pepper as a distant general stand-in.

Botanically related to true cubeb pepper and black pepper (genus Piper); the vine's leaves are used as a separate herb from the berries.

Nigerian pepper soup spice.