Ingredients
Grains of paradise
Other Names: Alligator pepper; gawz as-Sudan (Arabic); graines de paradis (French); grani paradisi (Italian); Guinea grains; guineapfeffer or paradieskörner (German); idrifil (Turkish); korarima (Amharic); malagueta (Spanish); melegueta pepper; piperi melenketa (Greek).
General Description: The small reddish brown seeds of grains of paradise (Aframomum melegueta) have a flavor like spicy, nutty black pepper, cardamom, and lemon, with woody and evergreen notes, a numbing quality, and a lingering camphor flavor. The seeds are about the size and shape of cardamom, and both are in the Zingiberaceae (ginger) family. Most grains of paradise are imported from Ghana. In that part of Africa, the seeds are chewed on cold days to warm the body. Grains of paradise were an important spice in fifteenth-century Europe, used as a pepper substitute. In the Renaissance, grains of paradise were common as beer flavoring. Today this spice is best known in North Africa, where it appears in the Moroccan spice mixture ras el hanout and Tunisian gâlat dagga.
Purchase and Avoid: Grains of paradise can be purchased from specialty spice merchants.
Note: Grains of paradise must be ground before use and should be added shortly before serving. Despite its rather pungent taste, it is best used liberally.
Serving Suggestions: Crush some grains of paradise with garlic and vinegar and spread over chicken, beef, or lamb before roasting. Brown chicken or fish fillets and top with a squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkling of grains of paradise. Season sautéed mushrooms with grains of paradise.
Food Affinities: Black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, couscous, duck, eggplant, guinea hen, nutmeg, peach, plum, potato, pumpkin, red wine.
from Quirk Books: www.quirkbooks.com
