Spice
Grains of Paradise
Grains of paradise are the seeds of Aframomum melegueta, a West African spice with peppery heat and cardamom-citrus notes. Once a medieval European pepper substitute, they now appear in craft brewing, rubs, and specialty spice blends. Crush lightly before use to release oils.
Also known as: Melegueta, Atare, Grains of Paradise
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Breeds, cuts & preparations
Variety
Aframomum meleguetaGuinea GrainsMelegueta PepperOssame
Source
Indoor FarmedOutdoor FarmedWild
Provenance
BiodynamicExport GradeFair TradeHand HarvestedNon-GMOOrganicPesticide FreeSingle OriginSun Dried
Preparation
CrackedDriedFreshGroundPowderRoastedToastedWhole
CommonCharacteristic
AromaticCardamom-likeCitrusComplexHotPepperyWarmWoody
History
GH
West African coastal peoples used melegueta pepper as a local hot spice.
IT
Medieval Europe imported grains of paradise via trans-Saharan and Mediterranean trade.
True black pepper availability reduced European reliance on grains of paradise.
Craft food and beer revivals restored grains of paradise to specialty pantries.